Verna Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: VER-nah /ˈvɜrnə/
Origin: Latin; English
Meaning: Latin: springlike; English: green
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Verna has its roots in Latin, deriving from the word "vernus," which means "spring-like" or "of spring." This etymology reflects a connection to the season of spring, symbolizing renewal and growth. The name entered the English language through the influence of Latin during the Roman Empire and subsequently through the adoption of Latin vocabulary in Old French, which was prevalent in England after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.
As a result, Verna emerged in English as a feminine given name associated with the themes of rebirth and vitality. Historically, the name Verna has been used in various cultures, but it gained particular prominence in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
While there are no specific biblical figures or saints directly associated with the name, its connotations of spring and renewal resonate with various cultural and religious traditions that celebrate the arrival of spring as a time of hope and new beginnings. The name's usage in literature and art during this period often highlighted these themes, further embedding it within cultural narratives.
Culturally, Verna has been associated with the ideals of femininity and nature, often evoking imagery of blooming flowers and vibrant landscapes. This connection to nature has allowed the name to endure in various forms and contexts.
Additionally, diminutive forms such as Vernie have emerged, reflecting affectionate or familial usage. Overall, the name Verna carries with it a rich tapestry of linguistic heritage and cultural significance, symbolizing the beauty and promise of spring.
Famous people named Verna
In this section, you will find notable people named Verna. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Verna who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Verna who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Verna Felton was an actress and voice artist best known for Cinderella, Dumbo, and The Jungle Book.
Verna Bloom was an actress best known for Animal House, The Last Temptation of Christ, and The Hired Hand.
Verna Williams is a legal scholar best known for her work in civil rights and family law.
Fictional characters named Verna
The following list of fictional characters named Verna is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Verna is a fictional character from the novel The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. She is a sorceress who plays a significant role in the story's magical and political conflicts.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Verna, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Verna. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Verna was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Verna has ranked as high as #218 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, California, and Louisiana.
In the past 5 years the name Verna has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Verna is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Verna was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Verna (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| PA | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Verna.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 27 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2022 | 38 |
| 2021 | 24 |
| 2020 | 29 |
| 2019 | 25 |
| 2018 | 37 |
| 2017 | 35 |
| 2016 | 43 |
| 2015 | 25 |
| 2014 | 37 |
| 2013 | 32 |
| 2012 | 26 |
| 2011 | 29 |
| 2010 | 21 |
| 2009 | 16 |
| 2008 | 37 |
| 2007 | 26 |
| 2006 | 28 |
| 2005 | 28 |
| 2004 | 30 |
| 2003 | 32 |
| 2002 | 27 |
| 2001 | 31 |
| 2000 | 33 |
| 1999 | 32 |
| 1998 | 40 |
| 1997 | 22 |
| 1996 | 21 |
| 1995 | 28 |
| 1994 | 45 |
| 1993 | 42 |
| 1992 | 30 |
| 1991 | 40 |
| 1990 | 34 |
| 1989 | 43 |
| 1988 | 41 |
| 1987 | 40 |
| 1986 | 41 |
| 1985 | 44 |
| 1984 | 46 |
| 1983 | 69 |
| 1982 | 79 |
| 1981 | 78 |
| 1980 | 56 |
| 1979 | 68 |
| 1978 | 74 |
| 1977 | 77 |
| 1976 | 99 |
| 1975 | 103 |
| 1974 | 106 |
| 1973 | 117 |
| 1972 | 149 |
| 1971 | 177 |
| 1970 | 195 |
| 1969 | 213 |
| 1968 | 188 |
| 1967 | 274 |
| 1966 | 286 |
| 1965 | 274 |
| 1964 | 354 |
| 1963 | 359 |
| 1962 | 409 |
| 1961 | 466 |
| 1960 | 532 |
| 1959 | 509 |
| 1958 | 546 |
| 1957 | 605 |
| 1956 | 606 |
| 1955 | 617 |
| 1954 | 584 |
| 1953 | 652 |
| 1952 | 655 |
| 1951 | 667 |
| 1950 | 719 |
| 1949 | 736 |
| 1948 | 681 |
| 1947 | 777 |
| 1946 | 742 |
| 1945 | 719 |
| 1944 | 734 |
| 1943 | 881 |
| 1942 | 871 |
| 1941 | 862 |
| 1940 | 865 |
| 1939 | 927 |
| 1938 | 927 |
| 1937 | 934 |
| 1936 | 950 |
| 1935 | 979 |
| 1934 | 1,040 |
| 1933 | 1,078 |
| 1932 | 1,175 |
| 1931 | 1,213 |
| 1930 | 1,359 |
| 1929 | 1,342 |
| 1928 | 1,458 |
| 1927 | 1,535 |
| 1926 | 1,586 |
| 1925 | 1,613 |
| 1924 | 1,661 |
| 1923 | 1,713 |
| 1922 | 1,693 |
| 1921 | 1,813 |
| 1920 | 1,851 |
| 1919 | 1,816 |
| 1918 | 1,873 |
| 1917 | 1,799 |
| 1916 | 1,713 |
| 1915 | 1,570 |
| 1914 | 1,226 |
| 1913 | 1,038 |
| 1912 | 914 |
| 1911 | 639 |
| 1910 | 626 |
| 1909 | 582 |
| 1908 | 549 |
| 1907 | 538 |
| 1906 | 533 |
| 1905 | 488 |
| 1904 | 429 |
| 1903 | 424 |
| 1902 | 436 |
| 1901 | 361 |
| 1900 | 412 |
| 1899 | 329 |
| 1898 | 410 |
| 1897 | 350 |
| 1896 | 326 |
| 1895 | 326 |
| 1894 | 310 |
| 1893 | 292 |
| 1892 | 246 |
| 1891 | 203 |
| 1890 | 244 |
| 1889 | 174 |
| 1888 | 165 |
| 1887 | 129 |
| 1886 | 134 |
| 1885 | 108 |
| 1884 | 87 |
| 1883 | 103 |
| 1882 | 76 |
| 1881 | 30 |
| 1880 | 46 |