Valancy: Baby Name of the Day

The baby name Valancy is a three-syllable, ends-in-y rarity with a pleasing literary pedigree.

Thanks to Jennifer for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHERE DOES THE NAME VALANCY COME FROM?

Canadian author Lucy Maude Montgomery is best known for her beloved Anne of Green Gables series. 

Her writing delights for so many reasons. And if you’ve read the Anne series, you’ll recognize her as a devoted fan of given names. We learn that fictional orphan Anne Shirley longs to have a more interesting name, like Cordelia. But if she must be called Anne, at least make it Anne-with-an-E.

Montgomery chose great character names, but one stands out.

In 1926, she wrote a novel aimed at an adult audience – not her typical fare. The book is called The Blue Castle, and while it is far less well known, it has some very passionate fans.

The story opens with Valancy Stirling, a spinster by the standards of her day, unhappy at home with her small-minded family, consoling herself with books. Her favorite? The Blue Castle, by John Foster.

At the age of 29, Valancy is stuck living with her overbearing mother and the rest of the Stirlings, who are pretty awful as relatives go.

She finally rebels after a doctor tells her that she has a serious heart malady, and just a few months to live. Valancy goes to live as the companion to an old friend, where she meets the eccentric BarneySmith.

Cue the romance between Valancy and Barney, but how can it be a happily every after? Valancy doesn’t have long to live, and Barney has secrets. 

Warning: spoilers ahead!

Then it turns out that her heart condition isn’t serious, and Barney is both secretly rich and secretly the author whose books Valancy has long loved. After a few more twists, all ends well.

The story is one of those lesser-known classics often read by Jane Austen fans.

VALANCY JANE STIRLING

What explains the heroine’s unusual name? 

It’s not clear.

The characters tell us that she dislikes her middle name, Jane, but appreciates the first name Valancy. (Her family calls her by a childhood nickname, Doss – which Valancy would very much prefer to leave behind.)

Another Montgomery heroine, Jane Victoria Stuart, echoes Valancy’s complaint. (Stuart also dislikes her middle name, Victoria.)

There’s also Emily Starr, featured in the novels Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, and Emily’s Quest. 

Names clearly matter to Montgomery. So where did she discover Valancy?

WHAT DOES THE NAME VALANCY MEAN?

During the 1870s and 80s, IsabellaValancy Crawford became successful freelance poet, a time when such a thing was rare for a woman. Born in Dublin, Crawford lived her adult life in Canada, eventually settling in Toronto. While she wasn’t a superstar in her lifetime, a 1923 compilation of her work put her back in the spotlight – just in time for Montgomery to write The Blue Castle.

So how did Crawford come by her middle name? Little is known of her early life in Dublin, but it feels like Valancy must be a surname. 

The surname Vallance is found in English and Scottish families, connected to the French place name Valence. Like Valencia, Valence is tied to the Roman family name Valens, derived from the Latin valentia – strength, capacity.

Given the story of Montgomery’s heroine, it seems like a fitting choice, doesn’t it?

VALANCY OUTSIDE OF THE NOVEL

Or was there another source for the name Valancy?

Zenna Henderson became one of the first women to write science fiction, publishing her first short story in 1951. There was a Valancy in her stories about a group of aliens living on Earth. In 1972, The People became a made-for-TV movie.

Henderson might have read Montgomery’s novel, of course. 

But Valancy sounds sci fi for another reason. It brings to mind valence bonds in chemistry. As with the Roman family name, it comes from the Latin word meaning strong. 

It’s spelled valence in American English and valency in British English. The valence of an atom measures its combining capacity when forming molecules or compounds. The term has been used since the 1800s. 

One more: a valance is a type of decorative curtain. In this case, it comes from the French word meaning “to let down.” It suggests something that hangs down. It seems the least likely source of inspiration for this name.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME VALANCY?

The baby name Valancy is about as rare as names can be.

It was given to fewer than five girls born in 2023. In fact, it has never registered in US Social Security Administration data, suggesting that only a handful of people have ever received the name.

And yet Val names feel traditional and stylish, and there are some rarities on the list, too, including:

• Valerie and Valeria
• Valentine, Valentina, and Valentino
• Valen, Valens, Valente, and Valena
• Valencio and Valencia

All of this makes the name immediately familiar but decidedly rare.

WEARABLE RARITY

With easy nickname Val and an intriguing backstory, Valancy seems like a wearable rarity.

It’s original and strong, with a great meaning and intriguing namesakes and associations.

If you’re after a name that blends science and literature, it’s easy to imagine Valancy being the perfect choice.

What do you think of the name Valancy?

First published on October 30, 2012, this post was revised on November 11, 2024.