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.
Off topic, but didn’t you do a post on Madison a while back? I can’t seem to find it.
Here she is: https://appellationmountain.net/baby-name-of-the-day-madison/
@Jordanna – Oh, that quote. How glorious! Thanks for sharing.
I adore Valeria/Valeriya, and I love Vivien and Viveca… but I can’t quite get into Valancy.
Of course I loved some LMM character names… Marigold, Rosemary, Cecilia, Cordelia, and one throw away line that was intended to be dismissive, in Magic for Marigold:
“Names have really nothing to do with romance,” said Uncle Klon.
“The most thrilling and tragic love affair I ever knew was between
a man named Silas Twingletoe and a woman named Kezia Birtwhistle.
It’s my opinion children shouldn’t be named at all. They should be
numbered until they’re grown up, then choose their own names.”
But I really actually love Kezia and Silas, even though they’re held up as the ultimate in clunk.
I would rather see Valerie or Verity, too. Valancy reads as the word valiantly in my brain for some reason. I really have to struggle to see it correctly. I agree that it does seem a bit on the masculine side, too.
I love Valancy — but as a boy’s name. Somehow, and my apologies to Montgomery on this, Valancy reads masculine to me. DH and I even considered it briefly as a boy’s name for this LO. . .until Mark realised the nickname would be “Val”, which he does consider too feminine (I see it as a unisex, but oh well).
Vance or Lance also make for good nickname options. 😀
Good point! But I know he won’t be able to get “Val” out of his head now.
I know one male Val (and there’s always Val Kilmer). I too see Val as unisex.
I feel like Valancy should work. It’s kind of a mash-up of Val and Nancy, not too far removed from Valerie or Valentine. Although for the life of me, it looks a lot like “vacancy” at first glance.
I’ve read “The Blue Castle”- it’s been several years, but I recall it being a wonderful story and Valancy as a courageous heroine. I definitely recommend it.
Very interesting post!
My first thought was “(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valence”. So I thought boy name, but I can see Valancy on a girl. And I loved the Anne of Green Gables series as a girl (it’s part of the reason I like James so much). I’ll also have to pick up The Blue Castle.
Anyway, I’d really like to meet a Valancy. 🙂
From a brief perusal of FamilySearch, it appears to be a surname. I dislike using a surname unconnected with my family as a first name, the more so as I’ve no idea what Valancy means.
Give me Verity or even Valerie any day!
Three syllable ends in y or ie names are usually right up my alley, but no so much with This one. I can’t get past the curtain connection. I do find the story behind it neat though.
The chemist in me wants to pronounce this (VAY len cee) but the southerner in me wants to pronounce it (Vuh LAN cee). Either way it is a beautiful name 🙂 I’ll have to add The Blue Castle to my to-read list.