Names That Mean Valley

An undiscovered surname name that originated in Cornwall and Devon, England, where habitational surnames were common.

Upper-crusty English surname which may derive from two sources. The first is Old English meaning "horehound valley", the second is Old French meaning "little swallow", which was originally a Norman nickname given to someone resembling the bird.

Merivale (and its variant, Merrivale) is a habitational surname with Cornish roots. Except there's nowhere in Cornwall called Merivale — people with this surname likely came from the similar-sounding town, Merryfield. There is, however, a hamlet named Merrivale in nearby Devon, England.

Merrivale was originally used as a surname in Cornwall and Devon — in the latter of which, there actually is a small hamlet called Merrivale. Neither Merrivale nor Merivale are common as first names, but it's one to consider if you're looking for a gender-neutral name to honor a Mary.