UK girl's name
Verena
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "true image" or "true likeness".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Verena is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Verena popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 4 births.
This profile covers 24 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 1998 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 24 living people in the UK are called Verena. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Verena ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1998, when 4 girls were registered as Verena.
- • About 24 living people in the UK are estimated to have Verena as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
1998
4 births
Estimated living
24
2026
Meaning
What does Verena mean?
The name Verena originates from the Latin name Verena, which is derived from the word "vera" meaning "true" or "sincere." This name was popular among ancient Romans and has its roots in Latin culture.
The name Verena gained prominence in the early Christian era, particularly in regions where Latin was widely spoken. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Saint Verena, a 4th-century Swiss martyr and patron saint of the town of Zurzach in Switzerland.
In the Middle Ages, the name Verena was widely used across Europe, especially in Germanic and Slavic regions. It was a popular name among nobility and commoners alike. During this period, variations of the name such as Veronika, Veronica, and Vreneli emerged.
One notable historical figure with the name Verena was Verena of Zurzach, a 7th-century Swiss abbess and founder of the monastery of Zurzach. Another prominent individual was Verena Stangl (1957-2022), an Austrian painter and sculptor known for her abstract works.
In the realm of literature, the name Verena appears in the works of various authors. For instance, in Hermann Hesse's novel "Demian," one of the characters is named Verena Reichlin. Additionally, Verena Becker is a character in the novel "The Emigrants" by W.G. Sebald.
Other notable individuals with the name Verena include Verena von Liechtenstein (1904-1983), a Liechtenstein princess and mother of Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and Verena Conzett (1919-2009), a Swiss politician and women's rights activist.
The name Verena has also been used in the entertainment industry. Verena Mundhenke (born 1986) is a German actress, while Verena Plangger (born 1987) is an Austrian pop singer.
Overall, the name Verena has a rich history spanning centuries and cultures, with its origins rooted in Latin and its popularity spreading across Europe and beyond. It has been borne by notable figures in various fields, including religion, literature, politics, and the arts.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Verena over time
The chart below shows babies named Verena registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Verena, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Verena by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Verena was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5669 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5222 | 14 | 4 |
| 2000s | #5545 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #3142 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Verena
- Victoria 19,582
- Violet 14,594
- Vanessa 3,696
- Verity 3,437
- Valentina 2,969
- Vienna 2,077
- Vivienne 1,692
- Veronica 1,425
- Valerie 733
- Viktoria 696
- Vera 667
- Vivian 619
FAQ
Verena: questions and answers
How popular is the name Verena in the UK right now?
In 2022, Verena was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Verena most popular?
The peak year on record was 1998, with 4 babies registered as Verena in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Verena?
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "true image" or "true likeness".
How many people are called Verena in the UK?
A total of 24 babies have been registered as Verena across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.