Baby Names Starting with V
VACHEL: From the French occupational name for "cow tender." Namesake: Vachel Lindsay.
VAIL: From the Old French for "from the valley." Relatives: Vayle, Vale, Valle, Val. Namesakes: Val Kilmer, Jerry Vale, Vail (Colo.)
VALENTINE: From the Latin for "good health." Sometimes you've got to have heart. Relatives: Valentina, Valentin, Valentino, Valeda, Valina, Vally, Val. Namesakes: Saint Valentina, Rudolph Valentino, Karen Valentine, Valentine's Day.
VALERIE: From the Old French for "valor." Valerie has been used moderately in the past few decades. Give it a try. Relatives: Valeria, Valery, Valerian, Vally, Vallie, Val. Namesakes: Saint Valerie, Valerie Perrine, Valerie Harper.
VAN: Dutch for "from" or "of." Namesakes: Van Heflin, Van Johnson, Van Cliburn, Van Halen, Martin Van Buren, Vincent Van Gogh, Dick Van Dyke.
VANCE: Middle English for "dweller at the windmill." Namesakes: Vance Bourjaily, Vance Law, Vivian Vance.
VANESSA: From the Latin for "butterfly." Butterfly is an enchanting name in every language: mariposa (Spanish), papillon (French), schmetterling (German). Relatives: Vannia, Vanna, Vannie, Van, Vanora, Nessa. Namesakes: Vanessa Bell, Vanessa Redgrave, Vanna White.
VANIA: From the Old Russian for "God's gift" and a feminine variation of Ivan. Relative: Vanya. Namesake: "Uncle Vanya."
VARDEN: From the Old French for "from a green hill." Relative: Vartan. Namesake: Vartan Gregorian.
VAUGHAN: Old Welsh for "small one." You so rarely hear this, and it's so classy. Relative: Vaughn. Namesakes: Vaughan Monroe, Vaughn Meader, Robert Vaughn, Ralph Vaughan Williams.
