Severa
A Spanish feminine name meaning "severe" or "strict".
Name Census estimates that about 110 living Americans carry the first name Severa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Severa today is around 62 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Severa births was 1927 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Severa. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
110
~ 1 in 3,115,949 Americans
Peak year
1927
20 babies that year
Average age
62
years old
2017 SSA rank
#18,044
Tracked since 1898
Popularity
Severa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Severa from the 1890s through to the 2010s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 129 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Severa by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Severa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Severas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Severa
The name Severa is a feminine given name of Latin origin, derived from the Latin word "severus," meaning "severe," "strict," or "harsh." It emerged during the ancient Roman era, reflecting the Roman cultural values of discipline, austerity, and seriousness.
In ancient Rome, the name Severa was often bestowed upon girls born into noble or influential families, as it carried a sense of strength and fortitude. It was particularly popular among the upper classes who embraced the Roman virtues of stoicism and self-control.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Severa can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus, who mentioned a woman named Severa living during the 1st century AD. However, the name gained greater prominence in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, as evidenced by its appearance on inscriptions and tombstones from that period.
Throughout history, several notable women have carried the name Severa. One of the most famous was Severa, the wife of the Roman Emperor Aurelian, who reigned from 270 to 275 AD. She played a significant role in shaping the policies of her husband's reign and was highly respected for her intelligence and influence.
Another Severa of historical importance was Severa, the mother of the Roman Emperor Geta, who co-ruled with his brother Caracalla in the early 3rd century AD. Her influence on the imperial court and her efforts to reconcile her feuding sons are well-documented in historical accounts.
In the 4th century, there was Severa, the daughter of the Roman Emperor Licinius, who was betrothed to the son of Constantine the Great, cementing an alliance between the two powerful families. However, the marriage never took place due to political upheavals and the eventual defeat of Licinius.
During the Middle Ages, the name Severa was less common, but it resurfaced in the Renaissance period, particularly in Italy. One notable figure was Severa Ognibene, a 16th-century Italian painter and miniaturist, renowned for her exquisite works depicting religious scenes and portraits.
In the 19th century, the name Severa was revived in literature, appearing as a character in the novel "The Betrothed" by the Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni, published in 1827. This literary representation helped to popularize the name once again, particularly in Italy and other parts of Europe.
People
Severa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Severa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Severa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Severa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 110 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Severa going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 3,115,949 US residents.
Is Severa a common name?
We classify Severa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 477 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Severa most popular?
The single biggest year for Severa was 1927, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Severa is about 62 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Severa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Severa in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.