The first name Valerian
A boy’s name from Latin.
4 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
From Latin Valeriānus, from Valerius.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Valerian at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 23 boys born in the United States were named Valerian, the 4,526th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2018, when 24 were.
503
babies named Valerian since 1880
#4,526
rank in 2025
2018
peak year
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Valerian in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Վալերիան
Valerian
Armenian
Валериа́н
Valerián
Russian
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Valerianus
Famous people named Valerian
8 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Valerian GraciasCatholic cardinal (1901–1978)
- Valerian Maduka OkekeCatholic Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, born 1953
- Valerian Madatov19th century Russian general, 1782–1829
- Valerian GaprindashviliGeorgian poet (1888–1941)
- Valerian of AbbenzaChristian saint, 377–457
- Valerian Sidamon-EristaviGeorgian painter, 1889–1943
- Lars AhlforsFinnish mathematician (1907-1996)
- Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of WellingtonEnglish peer, born 1945
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Valerian mean?
- From Latin Valeriānus, from Valerius.
- What is the origin of the name Valerian?
- From Latin Valeriānus, from Valerius.
- Is Valerian a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 503 US babies named Valerian since 1880 were boys.
- When was Valerian most popular?
- 2018 in the United States, when 24 babies were named Valerian, its highest rank at 4,343rd.
- What are other spellings of Valerian?
- Valerianus.