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At a Glance: Name: Valentine – Meaning: strong, healthy – Origin: Latin – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: VAL-en-tyne
Valentine is a boy's name with Latin roots, and while most people link it to romance because of Valentine's Day, the name itself simply means 'strong, healthy' — the romantic connection is cultural, not where the word comes from. Pronounced VAL-en-tyne, it has a bold, storybook feel to it. U.S. birth records for the name go back to 1880.
Meaning & Origin of Valentine
Meaning: Strong, healthy.
Origin: Latin.
A common claim: associated with love/romance Actually: Valentine is popularly linked to love because of Valentine's Day, but the name's Latin root simply means 'strong, healthy' — the romantic tie is cultural, not etymological.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Valentine
Phonetic: VAL-en-tyne IPA: /ˈvæləntaɪn/
Popularity of Valentine
Valentine hit its high point back in 1894, ranking #366 with 26 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had slipped to #2467 nationally, even though 56 babies received the name that year — more than double the count from its 1894 peak.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Valentine Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Valentine, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Valentine mean?
Strong, healthy. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Valentine)
How do you pronounce Valentine?
Valentine is pronounced VAL-en-tyne (IPA: /ˈvæləntaɪn/).
Is Valentine a popular name right now?
Valentine peaked at #366 in 1894 and is ranked #2467 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
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