vaillant

Vaillant is a French surname and the adjective vaillant meaning brave or valiant. The term originates from Old French and has appeared in Francophone onomastics for centuries. It is borne by various individuals in French political, scientific, and artistic life, and remains in use in contemporary Francophone communities.

In the business world, Vaillant refers to the Vaillant Group, a German multinational manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning equipment. Based in Remscheid, it produces boilers, heat pumps, solar thermal systems and related climate-control technology for residential and commercial use, with a presence across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

The word also appears in literature and culture as a descriptive epithet for courage, and in modern usage the English cognate valiant is commonly used in parallel. The two terms share common roots in the Latin word valēre, meaning to be strong or healthy.