Valentine
Boy name · #1794 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 89 baby boys were named Valentine, placing it at #1794 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3513, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 20,225 boys born in 2025 was named Valentine.
Babies named Valentine per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Valentine first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 10 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 142 boys were named Valentine — good for #500 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Valentine against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Valentine in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Valentine is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Valentine will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Valentine is most common
State-level data for Valentine is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Valentine
Statistically, parents drawn to Valentine tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Everette, Alphonse, Henderson, Emile, and June.
EveretteAlphonseHendersonEmileJuneCharleyRoscoeClement
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Valentine | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 89 | #1793 |
| 2024 | 56 | #2444 |
| 2023 | 83 | #1896 |
| 2022 | 72 | #2083 |
| 2021 | 53 | #2499 |
| 2020 | 51 | #2505 |
| 2019 | 62 | #2228 |
| 2018 | 45 | #2708 |
| 2017 | 48 | #2597 |
| 2016 | 41 | #2885 |
| 2015 | 31 | #3513 |
| 2014 | 40 | #2885 |
| 2013 | 35 | #3122 |
| 2012 | 25 | #4003 |
| 2011 | 33 | #3306 |
| 2010 | 31 | #3453 |
| 2009 | 28 | #3721 |
| 2008 | 36 | #3165 |
| 2007 | 20 | #4640 |
| 2006 | 31 | #3384 |
| 2005 | 33 | #3091 |
| 2004 | 30 | #3217 |
| 2003 | 26 | #3443 |
| 2002 | 25 | #3450 |
| 2001 | 23 | #3617 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Valentine a popular boy name?
Valentine ranked #1794 among boys in 2025 with 89 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3513.
When was the name Valentine most popular?
Valentine peaked in 1918, when 142 American boys received the name (ranked #500 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Valentine?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 20,225 newborn American boys was named Valentine. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.