Total births
5,657
Unisex name · since 1882
Val
5,657 babies named Val in U.S. Social Security records since 1882, with the highest year being 1952. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #5457
- among boys today
- 5,657
- born since 1882
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 62%
- more common than other boys
5,657 babies have been named Val since 1882, making it today's #5457 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Val recorded 5,657 times among boys since 1882, holding rank #5457 nationally today, ahead of 62% of boys, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2025.
- #5457 among boys today
- 5,657 born since 1882
- 1950s peak decade
- 62% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Val is currently the #5457 unisex name in America, more common than 62% of boys - 5,657 born since 1882, peaking in the 1950s.
- #5457
- among boys today
- 5,657
- born since 1882
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 62%
- more common than other boys
Val vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5457
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 62% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Val was born in this single decade.
1952
Single peak year
178 babies were named Val in 1952 - its busiest year on record.
How Val compares
5,657 Top 11% higher than 89% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Val's all-time total is 15x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Val | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,657 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 178 | 23 | 22,252 |
Val's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Val's SSA record in two at 1960 and the more recent half accounts for 31% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 69%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1882, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1952 peak of 178, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Val at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1952
Current rank
#5,457
Active since
1882
Val popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2025
- Peak year (1952)
- 178
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Val popularity over time - girls
1,749 total births recorded since 1908 (Val as girls' name)
Val by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Val's strongest decade.
1,475 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Val births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 15
1880s
15 births
- 1890s 19
1890s
19 births
- 1900s 56
1900s
56 births
- 1910s 237
1910s
237 births
- 1920s 436
1920s
436 births
- 1930s
1930s
701 births
- 1940s
1940s
972 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,475 births
- 1960s
1960s
801 births
- 1970s 356
1970s
356 births
- 1980s 147
1980s
147 births
- 1990s 151
1990s
151 births
- 2000s 119
2000s
119 births
- 2010s 82
2010s
82 births
- 2020s 90
2020s
90 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 1,475 births (26% of all-time use).
How Val compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Val's total volume
Val vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Val by state
Where Val concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Utah | | 731 | 12.9% |
| #2 | California | | 572 | 10.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 191 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Idaho | | 186 | 3.3% |
| #5 | New York | | 141 | 2.5% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 124 | 2.2% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 90 | 1.6% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 85 | 1.5% |
Utah share of Val's total US births 12.9%
Even split
731 of 5,657 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 22 reporting states.
Val appears in 22 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Val? ▼
Val has been given to 5,657 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #5457 as of the latest data. 178 babies were born in 1952, its single highest year.
When was Val most popular? ▼
Val was most popular in the 1950s decade with 1,475 total births. The single peak year was 1952.
Where is Val most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Val are Utah (731 births), California (572 births), Texas (191 births).
Is Val a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Val is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 5,657 births, and as a girl's name it has 1,749 births.
How long has the name Val been used? ▼
Records for Val go back to 1882, giving 144 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Val? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Valentino, Valentin, Valentine, Valente, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Val's data
- Val's decade-level peak was the 1950s (1,475 total births); usage has since declined to 90 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Utah records the most Vals (731 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Utah names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Val
Nearby Names Like Val
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Val
Valentino Boy
#453 11,784 births
Valentin Boy
#748 11,723 births
Valentine Boy
#2445 6,711 births
Valente Boy
#3907 1,930 births
Valor Boy
#1466 1,492 births
Compare Val side by side: Val vs Valentino Val vs Valentin Val vs Valentine
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Val
Essex #5456
435 births · Peak 2025
Rueben #5458
4,871 births · Peak 1921
Pryor #5455
484 births · Peak 2019
Frazier #5459
2,159 births · Peak 1919
Bernie #5454
9,225 births · Peak 1960
Franz #5460
2,864 births · Peak 1963
Alphonso #5453
15,187 births · Peak 1962
Raymon #5461
7,985 births · Peak 1926
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1882–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Val: #5457 Unisex Name - 5,657 Births, Peak 1952." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/val. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Val draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.