Valette

Valette is a surname of French origin and a toponym used in French-speaking regions. As a surname, Valette is found in France and in other countries with French heritage, where it is borne by individuals in various professions, including politics, arts, and sport.

As a place-name, Valette appears in compound names and, in particular, in La Valette-du-Var, a commune in the Var department in southeastern France. The use of Valette in toponyms is associated with the French habit of forming place-names with the diminutive suffix -ette, often from a geographic feature such as a valley.

Etymology: The origin of Valette is not definitively established. It is commonly linked to toponymic roots meaning "little valley" by derivation from val(-) meaning valley plus the diminutive suffix -ette, though other historical explanations relate the form to occupational or personal-name roots.

Notable people: A number of individuals bearing the surname Valette have been recorded in public life; the name is more common in France and among Francophone communities.

See also: The similar-sounding Valletta, the capital of Malta, is etymologically unrelated and should not be conflated with Valette. Variants of the surname and toponymic forms include Valette, Valetta, and Valletta in different languages and regions.