The name Valleri both re-emerged in the U.S. baby name data and reached peaked usage in 1968:
- 1970: 5 baby girls named Valleri
- 1969: 6 baby girls named Valleri
- 1968: 17 baby girls named Valleri
- 1967: unlisted
- 1966: unlisted
Why?
Because of the song “Valleri” by The Monkees.
It was introduced to TV audiences in February of 1967, during an episode of the band’s self-titled NBC sitcom. In the closing credits, the song’s title was spelled “Valerie”:
Two months later, the song was featured in another episode. This time around, the title was spelled “Valleri”:
I don’t know why the name’s spelling was changed, but I do know that it referred to a real person: a girl who the song’s co-writer, Bobby Hart, had been enamored with as a teenager.
The Monkees’ record label hadn’t planned to include “Valleri” on an album (due in part to contractual issues), but several disc jockeys began playing bootleg recordings on the radio, and the song became popular with listeners. This prompted the label to re-record “Valleri” for the 1968 album The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees.
In February of 1968 — a year after debuting on television — “Valleri” [vid] finally came out as a single. It peaked at #3 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart the following month.
What are your thoughts on the name Valleri? (Which spelling do you prefer?)
P.S. The other song introduced in that February 1967 episode of The Monkees was “Your Auntie Grizelda.”
Sources:
- Valleri – Wikipedia
- McDowell, Jay. “The Lie that Led to a Hit Song: The Story Behind ‘Valleri’ by The Monkees.” American Songwriter 24 Mar. 2024.
- The Monkees – Billboard.com
- SSA
Images: Screenshots of The Monkees (episodes from Feb. and Apr. 1967)