Names That Mean Health

Effortlessly stylish, with plenty of sweetness and strength, Valentina feels like a fresh alternative to Valerie, Victoria, or Vanessa.

The name of a martyred medieval saint, Valerie has been on the popularity list since its earliest publication in 1880. Though it peaked in the 1960s, remaining in the Top 100 until 1988, it still doesn't sound terminally dated; the association with the word valor gives it a sense of boldness and makes it one of the special group of girl names that mean strong.

Valentine is an attractive Shakespearean name with romantic associations, but those very ties to the saint and the sentimental holiday have sent it into a decline, one which we think may be about to turn around.

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.

Romantic name used throughout Europe, though sure to lead to pronunciation problems here. Though it's never been too widely used in the US, it's quite popular in Switzerland, France, Austria, and Romania.

Valeria -- the original form of the name, used by early Christians --has been experiencing significant popularity in recent years. While Valeria was nearly always on the charts, the name peaked in 2009 at #72, surpassing the longtime Franco-American version Valerie. Today Valeria and Valerie are at about equal rankings, sitting in the 150s.

A dashing, dramatic and romantic Italian surname, associated with early movie heartthrob Rudolph, and later with Italian fashion designer Valentino (Garavani). Also the name of an early Roman saint, whose feast day marks the beginning of spring. Ricky Martin chose it for one of his twin boys.

Spanish and Italian diminutive of Valentino.

For a girl, we'd say Val-en-teen, though many would insist on pronouncing it like the holiday.

The final o adds a macho touch.

Valerius is an ancient Roman family name turned first name. While Valerius is more familiar as its derivatives Valerie and Valerian, the rise of Roman names ending in S for boys may inspire a revival of this strong choice.

Variation of Valentina with the same pared-down appeal as Maren.

Valery was in the Top 1000 from 2005 to 2009, and reemerged in 2018. This spelling is often used among Hispanic families in the US.

Russian name most common in neighboring Estonia.

Tine is an undisputably masculine name in Slovenia, but with the same sound as Tina, wouldn't translate as well in English-speaking countries.

Dutch form of Valentine