Verba
Latin feminine name meaning "word" or "speech".
Name Census estimates that about 73 living Americans carry the first name Verba. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Verba today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Verba births was 1927 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Verba. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Verba is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Verbas were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Verba. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
73
~ 1 in 4,695,265 Americans
Peak year
1927
28 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1960 SSA rank
#7,270
Tracked since 1897
Popularity
Verba: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Verba from the 1890s through to the 1960s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 201 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
Verba 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 Verba during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Verbas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Missouri, Texas, Ohio recorded the most babies named Verba, while Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Verba
The name Verba is believed to have originated from the Latin language, with its roots tracing back to ancient Roman civilizations. It is derived from the Latin word "verbum," which means "word" or "speech." This linguistic connection suggests that the name Verba may have been associated with individuals who possessed exceptional oratory skills, wisdom, or a profound understanding of language.
In ancient Roman literature, there are instances where the name Verba appears, though its usage was relatively uncommon. One notable mention can be found in the philosophical works of Cicero, a renowned Roman statesman, orator, and philosopher who lived from 106 BC to 43 BC. Cicero occasionally employed the term "verba" to emphasize the importance of carefully chosen words in effective communication.
The earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Verba can be traced back to the 2nd century AD. One such individual was Verba Quintus, a Roman scholar and tutor who gained recognition for his contributions to the education of young nobles in the imperial court during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
Throughout history, the name Verba has been carried by several notable figures, although their impact and fame vary across different eras and regions. One such individual was Verba Petrus, a 5th-century monk and scribe who dedicated his life to preserving ancient manuscripts and philosophical texts in the aftermath of the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
In the 9th century, Verba Theodorus was a prominent Byzantine scholar and theologian who played a significant role in the intellectual and religious discourse of the time. His writings and teachings were widely respected and influenced generations of scholars and theologians in the Byzantine Empire.
During the Renaissance period, Verba Antonius was an Italian humanist and philosopher who advocated for the revival of classical learning and the study of ancient Greek and Roman texts. His works and teachings contributed to the flourishing of the Renaissance movement in Italy and beyond.
Another notable figure bearing the name Verba was Verba Mikhail, a 19th-century Russian poet and writer whose works were celebrated for their lyrical beauty and insightful commentary on societal issues of the time.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Verba, each leaving their mark in various fields of endeavor, from scholarship and philosophy to literature and the arts.
People
Verba + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Verba as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with V
Other first names starting with V with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Verba: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Verba?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 73 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Verba 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 4,695,265 US residents.
Is Verba a common name?
We classify Verba as "Very Rare". It ranks above 60% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 603 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Verba most popular?
The single biggest year for Verba was 1927, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Verba is about 83 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Verba a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Verba 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.