Vera
Girl name · #205 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Vera? In official American birth records, Vera has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Vera is currently the #205 girl name in the United States — 1,482 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #310, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,215 girls born in 2025 was named Vera.
The 145-year story
Vera first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 48 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 3,923 girls were named Vera — good for #68 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Vera per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Vera against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Vera in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Vera is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Vera is most common
Geography matters for names, and Vera is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Vera is most common in NH (4.2 per 1,000), ME (3.2 per 1,000), IA (2.9 per 1,000), WI (2.1 per 1,000), MN (1.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Vera is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Vera
Statistically, parents drawn to Vera tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ada, Lena, Leona, Lola, and Flora.
AdaLenaLeonaLolaFloraClaraMabelJune
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Vera | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,482 | #205 |
| 2024 | 1,355 | #226 |
| 2023 | 1,333 | #224 |
| 2022 | 1,339 | #224 |
| 2021 | 1,310 | #229 |
| 2020 | 1,221 | #246 |
| 2019 | 1,284 | #253 |
| 2018 | 1,264 | #257 |
| 2017 | 1,160 | #280 |
| 2016 | 1,059 | #308 |
| 2015 | 1,054 | #310 |
| 2014 | 891 | #365 |
| 2013 | 721 | #422 |
| 2012 | 615 | #498 |
| 2011 | 573 | #512 |
| 2010 | 431 | #671 |
| 2009 | 306 | #894 |
| 2008 | 254 | #1030 |
| 2007 | 208 | #1205 |
| 2006 | 161 | #1403 |
| 2005 | 154 | #1392 |
| 2004 | 125 | #1573 |
| 2003 | 101 | #1832 |
| 2002 | 104 | #1744 |
| 2001 | 96 | #1833 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Vera?
In official American birth records, the name Vera first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 48 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Vera a popular girl name?
Vera ranked #205 among girls in 2025 with 1,482 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #310.
When was the name Vera most popular?
Vera peaked in 1918, when 3,923 American girls received the name (ranked #68 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Vera?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,215 newborn American girls was named Vera. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.