Verna
Coined in the 19th century, from Latin vernus (“spring-like”) or as a feminine of Vernon.
Every Verna since 1880 — 69,638 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Verna
Verna is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,513 in 2025 with 44 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 69,638 American babies have been named Verna. Its peak came in 1918, when 1,885 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Verna stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Verna year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 44 | #3,513 | — | — |
| 2024 | 27 | #5,016 | — | — |
| 2023 | 25 | #5,242 | — | — |
| 2022 | 38 | #3,961 | — | — |
| 2021 | 24 | #5,392 | — | — |
| 2020 | 29 | #4,641 | — | — |
| 2019 | 26 | #5,152 | — | — |
| 2018 | 37 | #3,999 | — | — |
| 2017 | 36 | #4,142 | — | — |
| 2016 | 43 | #3,655 | — | — |
| 2015 | 25 | #5,445 | — | — |
| 2014 | 38 | #3,996 | — | — |
| 2013 | 32 | #4,532 | — | — |
| 2012 | 26 | #5,392 | — | — |
| 2011 | 29 | #4,908 | — | — |
| 2010 | 21 | #6,370 | — | — |
| 2009 | 16 | #8,032 | — | — |
| 2008 | 38 | #4,170 | — | — |
| 2007 | 27 | #5,366 | — | — |
| 2006 | 30 | #4,803 | — | — |
| 2005 | 28 | #4,823 | — | — |
| 2004 | 31 | #4,488 | — | — |
| 2003 | 32 | #4,211 | — | — |
| 2002 | 27 | #4,612 | — | — |
| 2001 | 31 | #4,102 | — | — |
| 2000 | 33 | #3,884 | — | — |
| 1995 | 28 | #3,877 | — | — |
| 1990 | 34 | #3,295 | — | — |
| 1985 | 44 | #2,316 | — | — |
| 1980 | 56 | #1,935 | — | — |
| 1975 | 103 | #1,138 | — | — |
| 1970 | 195 | #757 | 7 | #4,210 |
| 1965 | 274 | #578 | — | — |
| 1960 | 532 | #421 | — | — |
| 1955 | 617 | #346 | 10 | #2,752 |
| 1950 | 719 | #292 | 6 | #3,663 |
| 1945 | 719 | #253 | 8 | #2,736 |
| 1940 | 865 | #204 | 9 | #2,661 |
| 1935 | 979 | #181 | 7 | #3,242 |
| 1930 | 1,359 | #151 | 11 | #2,600 |
| 1925 | 1,613 | #153 | 15 | #2,183 |
| 1920 | 1,851 | #135 | 15 | #2,225 |
| 1915 | 1,570 | #126 | 14 | #2,060 |
| 1910 | 626 | #130 | — | — |
| 1905 | 488 | #129 | 6 | #1,224 |
| 1900 | 412 | #143 | — | — |
| 1895 | 326 | #140 | — | — |
| 1890 | 244 | #145 | — | — |
| 1885 | 108 | #177 | — | — |
| 1880 | 46 | #231 | — | — |
Famous people named Verna
- Verna Bloom Actor · 1938–2019
- Verna Felton Actor · 1890–1966
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Verna mean?
Coined in the 19th century, from Latin vernus (“spring-like”) or as a feminine of Vernon.
How popular is the name Verna in 2025?
Verna ranked #3,513 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 44 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Verna?
69,638 babies have been named Verna in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Verna most popular?
Verna peaked in 1918, when 1,885 newborns received the name.
Is Verna a boy or girl name?
Verna is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Verna rising or falling?
Verna has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Verna?
Well-known people named Verna include Verna Bloom (actor), Verna Felton (actor).