Vera
Vera was the 205th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,482 babies. Its best year was 1915, when it ranked 65th; the most babies were born in 1918 (3,923). Over the last ten years it has moved up 106 places. More babies were named Vera in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning Meaning disputed · Russian, Latin
Say it VEER-uh /ˈvɪrə/
- Rank in 2025
- #205 girls, up 41 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,482girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19183,923 babies
- Total since 1880
- 149,854babies recorded
What does the name Vera mean?
Vera has two explanations. Wiktionary and Wikipedia take it from the Russian name Vera, 'faith', a translation of the early Christian name Fides (Greek Pistis), and say it spread to English in the 19th century. DMNES instead records a medieval Vera from Latin vera, 'true, real', which Wiktionary calls a folk etymology for the Russian name. Both meanings, 'faith' and 'true', are therefore attached to it.
Вера (Russian, “Vera, faith”)vēra (Latin, “true (feminine)”)
How sure is this? Disputed. Russian 'faith' (Wiktionary, Wikipedia) versus Latin 'true' (DMNES for a medieval name).
Related names: Verna, Veronica, Fides, Faith.
See also: Slavic names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Vera', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Vera', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wikipedia, 'Vera (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Vera popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 398 since 1897.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #205 | 1,482 |
| 2020 | #246 | 1,221 |
| 2010 | #673 | 431 |
| 2000 | #1,716 | 103 |
| 1990 | #1,531 | 101 |
| 1980 | #933 | 161 |
| 1970 | #525 | 364 |
| 1960 | #314 | 900 |
| 1950 | #227 | 1,111 |
| 1940 | #159 | 1,322 |
| 1930 | #104 | 2,492 |
| 1920 | #75 | 3,785 |
| 1910 | #71 | 1,346 |
| 1900 | #76 | 1,024 |
| 1890 | #103 | 393 |
| 1880 | #225 | 48 |
How popular is Vera, counting every spelling?
Vera is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #224 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #205 for Vera on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,553 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vera | 1,482 | #205 | 6,819 |
| Veera | 65 | #2,688 | 278 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Vera?
1,482 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Vera (0.41 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Vera born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 6 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Vera.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Vera?
About 47,600 people born in the US named Vera are alive today, with a median age of 59; half are between 10 and 75. That makes Vera a name most people associate with older generations. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Vera by state
How common Vera was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Hampshire (3.9×), North Dakota (3.5×), Rhode Island (3.0×), Maine (2.9×), District of Columbia (2.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Mexico, Texas, West Virginia.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Vera: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Vera, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Vera · Sibling names for Vera
Vera is also a nickname for Veronica.
Questions about the name Vera
What does Vera mean?
The meaning of Vera is disputed: Russian 'faith' (Wiktionary, Wikipedia) versus Latin 'true' (DMNES for a medieval name).
How popular is the name Vera?
Vera was the 205th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,482 babies. Its best year was 1915, when it ranked 65th; the most babies were born in 1918 (3,923). Over the last ten years it has moved up 106 places. More babies were named Vera in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Vera a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Vera in the US.
Where is Vera most popular?
In 2021–2025, Vera was most common in New Hampshire (3.30 per 1,000 girls), followed by Vermont and North Dakota.