Holding steady.
Popularity of Valla since 1906
Babies named Valla per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1918, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Valla's real moment was 1906.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 23 |
| 1920s | 35 |
| 1930s | 51 |
| 1940s | 33 |
| 1950s | 48 |
| 1960s | 16 |
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 6 |
Meaning & origin
Valla is an exceptionally rare name in the United States, first appearing in birth records in 1906, a year that also marked its peak usage, with only a handful of recorded births. The name has never ranked within the top 1000 names in any given year, and its trajectory remains stable but at extremely low frequencies. In its peak year of 1906, the rarity suggests it was likely a creative or family-specific choice rather than a widespread fashion. Because it has never appeared in top state rankings or national popularity lists, Valla remains a distinctive name with an opaque etymology. It may be a short form of Valentine or a variant of the Scandinavian Vala, but the evidence is inconclusive. The name is most commonly bestowed upon girls, as reflected in historical records.
Valla appears to be a rare given name in English-speaking countries, first recorded in the United States in 1906. It may be a feminine variant of the name Val, which is a short form of names like Valentine or Valerie, or perhaps a respelling of the Scandinavian name Vala, from Old Norse valr meaning 'the slain' (in battle). However, it is more likely a creative spelling or a modern coinage without a clear etymological root.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Val
Variants: Vala
Sibling names for Valla
Names that share Valla's style, for a brother or sister.
