Proper noun

1. Short form of the male given names Valentine and Valerius.
2. Short form of the female given name Valerie.

Quotations

• 1920 John Galsworthy, The Forsyte Saga: In Chancery:I: Chapter 2:

  And Publius Valerius became the baby's name, though it afterwards transpired that they had got hold of the inferior Cato. In 1890, however, when little Publius was nearly ten, the word 'chic' went out of fashion, and sobriety came in; Winifred began to have doubts. They were confirmed by little Publius himself, who returned from his first term at school complaining that life was a burden to him - they called him Pubby. Winifred - a woman of real decision - promptly changed his school and his name to Val, the Publius being dropped even as an initial.