UK girl's name
Verity
Feminine form of the Latin name "veritas" meaning truth or honesty.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Verity is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Verity popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #408, with 105 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 146 births.
This profile covers 3,437 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 72% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 3,613 living people in the UK are called Verity. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Verity ranked #408 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 105 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 146 girls were registered as Verity.
- • Verity ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #432 in 2017.
- • About 3,613 living people in the UK are estimated to have Verity as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#408
2024
Births in 2024
105
Latest year
Peak year
2009
146 births
Estimated living
3,613
2026
Meaning
What does Verity mean?
The name Verity is derived from the Latin word "veritas", meaning truth or reality. It originated as a virtue name during the Middle Ages in England, around the 13th century. The name was likely used to represent the ideals of honesty and truthfulness, which were highly valued during that time.
Verity gained popularity in medieval England, particularly among the upper classes. It was often associated with the concept of truth and virtue, reflecting the religious and moral values of the era. The name was sometimes used in literary works and religious texts as a personification of truth.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Verity can be found in the 14th century poem "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, written between 1387 and 1400. In the poem, Chaucer refers to "Verity" as a representation of truth.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Verity. One of the earliest was Verity Browne (c. 1490-1558), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the Marian Persecutions for her religious beliefs.
Another notable figure was Verity Rendell (1726-1804), an English philanthropist and social reformer. She was instrumental in establishing several charitable organizations and schools for the underprivileged in London.
In the 19th century, Verity Lambert (1935-2007) was a renowned English television producer and playwright. She was the first female producer for the iconic British series "Doctor Who" and played a significant role in shaping the show's early success.
Verity Wingate (1918-2007) was a British intelligence officer who served during World War II. She was awarded the Military Cross for her bravery and contributions to the war effort.
Verity Jones (1925-2019) was a Welsh painter and sculptor known for her abstract expressionist works. She was a prominent figure in the British art scene and had several solo exhibitions throughout her career.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Verity throughout history, reflecting its association with truth, virtue, and strength of character.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Verity over time
The chart below shows babies named Verity registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Verity, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 105 births in 2024, compared with 146 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Verity by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Verity 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 | #386 | 574 | 5 |
| 2010s | #353 | 1,325 | 10 |
| 2000s | #370 | 1,069 | 10 |
| 1990s | #305 | 469 | 4 |
Geography
Where Verity is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Verity. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Verity ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #432 in 2017.
Across the UK
Verity in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#790 in 2024
41 years of NRS records, 194 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#432 in 2017
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Verity
-
Verity Drew Firth
actor
actress
2006-
-
Verity Owens
association football player
1991-
-
Verity Peets
basketball player
English basketball player (born 1988)
1988-
-
Verity Rushworth
actor
British actress
1985-
-
Verity Barton
politician
Australian politician (born 1985)
1985-
-
Verity Harding
scientist; political scientist; writer; AI ethicist
English artificial intelligence ethicist
1984-
-
Verity Wilson
writer; editor
British costume historian, writer, and editor
1947-
-
Verity Bargate
theatre director; novelist
English novelist and theatre director
1940-1981
Related
Names similar to Verity
- Victoria 19,582
- Violet 14,594
- Vanessa 3,696
- Valentina 2,969
- Vienna 2,077
- Vivienne 1,692
- Veronica 1,425
- Valerie 733
- Viktoria 696
- Vera 667
- Vivian 619
- Viola 576
FAQ
Verity: questions and answers
How popular is the name Verity in the UK right now?
In 2024, Verity was ranked #408 for girls in England and Wales, with 105 births registered.
When was Verity most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 146 babies registered as Verity in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Verity?
Feminine form of the Latin name "veritas" meaning truth or honesty.
How many people are called Verity in the UK?
A total of 3,437 babies have been registered as Verity across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 194 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Verity most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Verity ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #432 in 2017. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.