Valta
Of Finnish origin, a feminine name derived from the word "valta" meaning "power" or "strength".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Valta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Valta today is around 93 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Valta births was 1915 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Valta. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Valta is about 93 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Valtas were born before 1943.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Valta. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1915
9 babies that year
Average age
93
years old
1942 SSA rank
#3,716
Tracked since 1907
Popularity
Valta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Valta from the 1900s through to the 1940s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 60 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Valta by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Valta during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Valtas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Valta
The given name Valta originates from the Finnish language and has its roots in the ancient Finno-Ugric linguistic family. The name is believed to have been derived from the Finnish word "valta," which translates to "power" or "authority." This connection suggests that the name Valta may have been bestowed upon children with the hope of endowing them with strength, influence, and leadership qualities.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Valta can be traced back to the 13th century in Finland, where it was primarily used within the nobility and ruling classes. During this period, Finland was heavily influenced by Swedish culture, and the name Valta was often used alongside its Swedish equivalents, such as Valter or Valdemar.
One of the earliest notable figures to bear the name Valta was Valta Nuutilainen (c. 1280-1344), a Finnish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Finnish Crusades against the Novgorod Republic in the early 14th century. His bravery and strategic prowess earned him a place in Finnish folklore and historical records.
In the 16th century, the name Valta gained popularity among the Finnish peasantry and was frequently used as a first name for male children. During this time, the Reformation swept through Finland, and the name Valta was sometimes associated with Protestant values of independence and self-determination.
Another notable bearer of the name was Valta Anttonen (1567-1632), a Finnish farmer and landowner who became a prominent figure in the local community. His leadership and influence extended beyond his agricultural pursuits, and he was often sought for counsel and guidance by his peers.
As Finland transitioned into the modern era, the name Valta continued to be used, albeit with less frequency. One of the more recent historical figures to bear the name was Valta Kiviluoma (1891-1967), a Finnish politician and trade unionist who served as a member of the Finnish Parliament for several terms in the mid-20th century.
While the name Valta has maintained a consistent presence in Finnish culture throughout the centuries, it has also found its way into other languages and cultures through migration and cultural exchanges. Variations of the name, such as Valto or Valter, can be found in neighboring Scandinavian countries and beyond, carrying with them the essence of power and authority embedded in the original Finnish name.
People
Valta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Valta as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Valta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Valta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Valta going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Valta a common name?
We classify Valta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 130 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Valta most popular?
The single biggest year for Valta was 1915, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Valta is about 93 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Valta in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Valta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Valta in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Valta still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Valta in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Valta can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Valta?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.