Meaning and background
The story behind Vala
Vala is demonstrably used as an Icelandic familiar name: an Icelandic newspaper interview introduces a woman named Valgerður who says that everybody calls her Vala. User-submitted naming references also propose Nordic and Albanian linguistic histories, but those suggestions should not be combined into one confident translation. This profile therefore records a real short-form use while leaving other possible origins open. The spelling alone cannot establish a language.
- Origin
- Attested Icelandic short form in use for Valgerður; other possible linguistic uses are not yet independently resolved. Source
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Everyday moments“Vala, come here!”
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About Vala
Recorded as a dog’s name
Vala appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2022 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/vɑlə/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/vɑlə/ · primary stress on syllable 1V AA1 L AH0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.