The baby name Valor is a big, bold choice that fits with strong word names for our sons.
Thanks to Kel for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME VALOR MEAN?
Valor is synonym for courage or bravery.
It comes from the Latin word valere – to be strong, to be worthy. It’s an obvious modern virtue name.
The word feels strongly associated with the military. It’s a full dress uniform of a first name.
If Valor brings to mind duty and honor, it also balances between similar choices. Maverick’s meaning is a little more rebellious. A name like Legend feels more about personal achievement.
Valor is a strong name, but it’s almost in the key of a classic choice like Victor.
VALOR’S STYLISH SOUND
Meaning alone isn’t enough, of course.
It helps that Valor sounds like a real name.
- That -r ending brings to mind many a popular name like Carter, Oliver, and Asher.
- We loving those high value Scrabble letters. Ezra and Enzo, Everett and Levi, as well as names like Xavier, Zion, and Zakai.
Valor brings to mind actor Val Kilmer, recently back in the spotlight thanks to the Top Gun sequel. That’s the movie that gets credit for the popularity of Maverick, probably the leading name in this category.
Kilmer’s given name is Val, but it’s worth noting that mainstream choices like Valerie and Valentina, as well as Valentine, Valentino, and Vale are all connected. (Though Vale can also come from an archaic word meaning valley.)
VALORA NOLAND
Actress Valora Noland was born Valor in 1941. Noland was known for appearances in TV shows like Star Trek and The Rifleman during the 1960s.
The inspiration? A Winston Churchill speech using the word.
It might have been “Be Ye Men of Valour,” a reference to a Biblical phrase. The address was his first as prime minister, a call to courageous individuals at a time battlefield successes were few and setbacks many.
Churchill called for courage and resilience. It’s easy to imagine parents wanting the same for a child.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME VALOR?
A few Valors appear in the 1930 and 1940 US Censuses. They lived in California and Arkansas, Texas and New York. A husband and wife pair named Valor and Violet resided in Oregon. A few are named Valor Reaor Valor Lee, a fanciful spin on Valerie. And some might be attempts to Anglicize another form of a Val- name.
But the baby name Valor is mostly a twenty-first century phenomenon.
The name debuted in the US Social Security Administration data in the year 1988, when five boys received the name.
What drove the 1988 debut of Valor? It’s unclear.
During the 1990s, a DC Comics character called Valor appeared in Superman story lines. The character appeared on the Supergirl television series during the second season, but he was known as Mon-El, another character name.
In 2012, it jumped to 42 births from 18 the prior year. One possible cause? Act of Valor, a 2012 movie about Navy SEALs.
Actor Emile Hirsch gave the name to a son in late 2013.
From 2017-18, a short lived series on The CW was titled Valor. The military drama might get credit for the name’s bump in 2018. For the first time ever, Valor was given to over 100 boys in a single year.
As of 2023, 122 boys were given the first name Valor.
PRINCE VALIANT
Worth noting: the baby name Valiant debuted back in 1947, and was given to six boys in 2023.
Valiant comes from the same roots as Valor. As a given name, Valiant comes from Hal Foster’s long-running comic strip, Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur.
Created in 1937, it’s the story of a prince who becomes part of the Knights of the Round Table. Movie adaptations followed. Perhaps it’s most famous for the pageboy-style haircut known as the Prince Valiant.
All of that makes Valiant a little less accessible as a given name somehow. Or maybe it’s the Plymouth Valiant that makes this feel less appealing.
BOLD WORD NAME POSSIBILITY
There’s definitely still plenty of potential with the baby name Valor.
Expectant parents looking for big, bold choices who like Valor’s meaning could certainly consider this for their baby boys. It feels like a unique name, or at least one that’s unique enough. And as a middle name? It could be a great choice with a more traditional first.
What do you think of the name Valor?
First published on December 12, 2013, this post was revised on October 15, 2024.
My first name is actually Valer, but many people assume it is Valor as the pronunciation is the same.
I am considering this as a MN for a future son – in honor of my mother, Valerie! I feel “Val” is too short with our one syllable last name, and the Valentine spins aren’t my cup of tea. Valor feels just right in the MN spot!
I could swear I’ve seen a birth announcement for a Valour. I think it was a middle name, but I’m drawing a complete blank on the first name. Certainly a virtue a parent would want to encourage. It has a feeling similar to Justice or Noble and without the aggression of Danger or Rebel. I like it.