Given name
Verena
“protector and defender”
Verena is used as a given name. One German interpretation is “protector and defender.” Its derivation is not certain.
Original GermanVerene
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “protector and defender.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is German, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
In Italian usage, Verena is a feminine form of VERENO.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1890. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Verena through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,989
- 0 boys · 1,989 girls
- Most popular year
- 1916
- 43 babies
- 2025
- 40
- #3,771 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +16%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 40 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,771 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 15.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 43 in 1916. In 2025, Indiana had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,752 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Verena’s family of names
Verena has an affectionate form in Vreni. In Italian usage, Verena is a feminine form of VERENO. Verena has a related form in Virna.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Verena has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
Germanwhere Verena comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 25
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Verenevariant · German, English
- Vernacontraction
- Verinavariant · English
- Virnavariant
- Verrenalikely variant
- Verennalikely variant
- Veroshkavariant
- Verusyavariant
Show 17 moreShow fewer
- Verunkavariant
- Verinkavariant
- Varynevariant · English
- Varynavariant · English
- Varynvariant
- Verinvariant · English
- Vereanvariant · English
- Vereanevariant · English
- Verynevariant · English
- Verynvariant · English
- Verinevariant · English
- Vereenevariant · English
- Vereanavariant · English
- Verynavariant · English
- Vereenavariant · English
- Verenahvariant · English
- Vrenipet form
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Verena
- Verena SailerGerman sprinterborn 1985
- Verena BenteleGerman paralympic biathlete and politician (SPD)born 1982
- Verena MayrAustrian athleteborn 1995
- Verena HoferItalian lugerborn 2001
- Verena HanshawAustrian association football playerborn 1994
- Verena of ZurzachEgyptian saint260–344
- Verena SchweersGerman footballerborn 1989
- Verena StefanGerman writer (1947-2017)
- Verena JooßGerman racing cyclistborn 1979
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Verena, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Rowena
“one who is fair and slender” · “having much fame and happiness”
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Velma
“determined protector”
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Minna
“determined protector” · “one who is resolute; having great strength”
>99% girls
Elma
“having God's protection”
>99% girls
Bruna
“a dark-haired woman”
>99% girls
Erma
“one who is complete; universal”
>99% girls
Wilhelmina
“determined protector” · “one who is protected”
>99% girls
Henrietta
“ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% girls