Variant of Valerie, from Latin 'valere' meaning to be strong or healthy.
Valarie is a variant spelling of Valerie, a name rooted in the ancient Roman family name Valerius, itself derived from the Latin valere — "to be strong, to be healthy, to have worth." The Valerii were one of Rome's most distinguished patrician clans, producing consuls and generals across centuries of the Republic, and the name carried their reputation for vigor and distinction. The feminine form Valeria was borne by several early Christian martyrs, most notably Saint Valeria of Milan and Saint Valerie of Limoges, whose cults spread the name through medieval France and beyond.
The French form Valérie entered the English-speaking world in the 19th century and gained substantial traction through the 20th. Valerie Harper's beloved portrayal of Rhoda Morgenstern on American television through the 1970s gave the name a warm, funny, unmistakably human face for a generation of viewers. The alternative spelling Valarie — shifting the second vowel — appeared in the mid-20th century as American naming culture embraced creative orthographic variation, keeping the name's sound while giving it a slightly individual quality.
Valarie peaked in the United States around the 1960s and has since settled into a comfortable, vintage register — recognized but not overused. The core meaning of strength and vitality remains as appealing as ever, and the name has a melodic quality — three syllables with a strong open first vowel — that gives it natural presence. As mid-century names cycle back into fashion, Valarie sits alongside names like Diane and Marlene as a genuine classic awaiting rediscovery.