Valerian
About Valerian
This name of a Roman emperor and of a sedating plant is still used quietly, given to about a dozen baby boys in the US last year. It has a strong, rhythmic sound and could make a modern-feeling honor name for grandma Valerie.
Pronounced vuh-LAIR-ee-un.
As of October 2026, Valerian ranked #4526 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #1821 in 1918, Nameberry popularity #598.
Editor's take: The name Valerian is a boy's name of Latin origin meaning "strength, health".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | #4,343 | 24 | 13.2 |
| 2019 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | #4,526 | 23 | 13.5 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Valerian.
- Fenrir
- Cassiel
- Aurelian
- Aramis
- Aurelio
- Cyprian
- Regulus
- Aeneas
- Acacius
- Cesario
- Theon
- Altair
- Cadmus
- Silvanus
- Tyr
- Endymion
- Nereus
- Gaius
- Arcturus
- Caliban
Valerian on lists
Famous Valerians
- Valerian (Publius Licinius Valerianus Augustus)
Roman emperor
- (Arthur) Valerian Wellesley
8th Duke of Wellington, British brigadier
- Valerian Trifa
Romanian cleric and activist
- Valerian Ruminski
American operatic bass
Valerian in pop culture
- Valérian
main character in French comic "Valérian and Laureline" and 2017 film "Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets"