Valery
Meaning of Valery
Valery, the Anglophone rendering of Latin Valeria mediated through French Valérie and the Eastern Slavic Valeriya, descends from the Roman family name Valerius, which in turn derives from the verb valere, “to be strong, to be healthy,” and thereby conveys a built-in semantic link to vigor and durability. Historically disseminated by hagiographic figures such as the seventh-century Saint Valéry of Amiens and later by Orthodox calendars, the name evolved into a feminine standard in French and English while remaining technically unisex in Russian; within contemporary American usage it is overwhelmingly assigned to girls. Social Security data depict a profile of low-to-moderate but remarkably persistent adoption: since 1940 Valery’s national rank has typically floated between the high 500s and the low 800s, with a gradual though discernible uptick across the past decade that places it at 609 in 2024, indicating stable niche appeal rather than mainstream ubiquity. Phonetically adaptable—va-LUH-ree in French, VAL-uh-ree in English, vuh-LAIR-ee in Russian—the name offers international portability while preserving an uncluttered three-syllable footprint. Taken together, its classical etymology, cross-cultural reach, and steady demographic footprint position Valery as a discreet yet enduring choice for parents who value a quiet evocation of strength and health.
Pronunciation
French
- Pronunced as va-LUH-ree (/va.lʊ.ˈri/)
English
- Pronunced as VAL-uh-ree (/ˈvæl.ə.ri/)
Russian
- Pronunced as vuh-LAIR-ee (/və.ˈlɐr.i/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Valery
| Valery Tsepkalo is a Belarusian politician and entrepreneur who served in diplomatic and advisory roles for Belarus and the Commonwealth of Independent States. |
| Valery Alekseyevich Legasov was a Soviet inorganic chemist best known for his crucial role in responding to the Chernobyl disaster and presenting its investigation findings. |
| Valery Nikolayevich Soyfer, born in 1936 in Gorky, is a Russian-American biophysicist, molecular geneticist, and human rights advocate. |
| Valery Gergiev is a Russian conductor and opera director who currently leads the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theatres and the White Nights Festival, having previously served as chief conductor of the Rotterdam and Munich Philharmonic Orchestras. |
| Valery Mikhailovich Zubov was a Russian politician and economist who served as a member of the State Duma from 2000 to 2016. |
| Valery Karpin is a Russian football manager and former midfielder who leads the national team and Dynamo Moscow, with citizenships in Russia, Spain, and Estonia. |
| Valery Meladze is a Georgian singer and Meritorious Artist of Russia whose brother Konstantin Meladze writes his songs. |
| Valery Pavlovich Chkalov was a Soviet test pilot who earned the Hero of the Soviet Union award in 1936. |
| Valery Kubasov was a Soviet cosmonaut who pioneered the first welding experiments in space and flew on multiple Soyuz missions. |
| Valery Shantsev served as the governor of Nizhny Novgorod Oblast from 2005 to 2017, after working as Moscow's deputy mayor and leading its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. |
| Valery Zorkin is a Russian legal scholar who currently serves as President of the Constitutional Court of Russia and previously held the same role in the early 1990s. |
| Valery Karlovich Gartung is a Russian politician serving as a Member of the State Duma since 1997. |
| Valery Gazzaev is a Russian politician, football manager, and former striker who achieved success with FC Dynamo Moscow and the USSR national team in the Olympics. |
| Valery Ivanovich Tereshchenko was a distinguished Russian, Soviet, and Ukrainian academic who specialized in management. |
| Valery Dmitriyevich Solovei is a Russian historian, political scientist, and conspiracy theorist who resigned as head of Public Relations at MGIMO on June 19, 2019. |
