UK girl's name
Valencia
A Spanish name derived from the city of Valencia, signifying "brave" or "valiant".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Valencia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Valencia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #654, with 59 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 61 births.
This profile covers 371 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 97% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 369 living people in the UK are called Valencia. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Valencia ranked #654 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 59 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 61 girls were registered as Valencia.
- • About 369 living people in the UK are estimated to have Valencia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#654
2024
Births in 2024
59
Latest year
Peak year
2023
61 births
Estimated living
369
2026
Meaning
What does Valencia mean?
Valencia is a Spanish name derived from the ancient Roman city of Valentia, which was founded in 138 BC. The city's name is believed to come from the Latin word "valentia," meaning strength or valor. The name became popular in Spain and other Spanish-speaking regions during the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Valencia can be found in the 12th century, when a woman named Valencia de Aragon was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Aragon. She was a noblewoman and played a significant role in the political affairs of the region.
In the 13th century, Valencia de Córdoba was a renowned Spanish poet and writer. She was celebrated for her works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human experience. Her poems and writings contributed to the rich literary tradition of medieval Spain.
During the Renaissance, Valencia Spinola was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts. Born in 1532, she was known for her patronage of artists and her support of the arts in Genoa, where she lived.
In the 17th century, Valencia Pryce was a Welsh heiress and landowner. She inherited a significant estate and played a prominent role in the social and economic affairs of her region. Valencia Pryce was born in 1615 and lived until 1678.
The name Valencia has also been used by notable figures in more recent history. Valencia Rodríguez, born in 1919, was a Venezuelan novelist and short story writer. Her works explored themes of identity, society, and the human condition, and she was recognized for her contributions to Latin American literature.
These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse cultural origins of the name Valencia. From its ancient Roman roots to its use by prominent figures throughout history, the name has carried a sense of strength, valor, and cultural significance across various regions and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Valencia over time
The chart below shows babies named Valencia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Valencia, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 59 births in 2024, compared with 61 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Valencia by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Valencia was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #716 | 267 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3362 | 84 | 10 |
| 2000s | #4038 | 17 | 4 |
| 1990s | #3795 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Valencia
- Victoria 19,582
- Violet 14,594
- Vanessa 3,696
- Verity 3,437
- Valentina 2,969
- Vienna 2,077
- Vivienne 1,692
- Veronica 1,425
- Valerie 733
- Viktoria 696
- Vera 667
- Vivian 619
FAQ
Valencia: questions and answers
How popular is the name Valencia in the UK right now?
In 2024, Valencia was ranked #654 for girls in England and Wales, with 59 births registered.
When was Valencia most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 61 babies registered as Valencia in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Valencia?
A Spanish name derived from the city of Valencia, signifying "brave" or "valiant".
How many people are called Valencia in the UK?
A total of 371 babies have been registered as Valencia across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.