This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- 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
VAL-en-tyneIPA /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.
Names Like Valentine
These names share Valentine’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Valentine mean?
Strong, healthy. (Source: Wiktionary)
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.)
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.
📊 How popular is Valentine? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
