Vernal
Relating to or occurring in spring; fresh, youthful, or green.
Name Census estimates that about 676 living Americans carry the first name Vernal. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 82.9% of registrations being male. The average person named Vernal today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vernal births was 1920 (63 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vernal. 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 Vernal is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Vernals were born before 1967.
People living today
676
~ 1 in 507,033 Americans
Peak year
1920
63 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
2005 SSA rank
#7,543
Tracked since 1892
Gender
Gender distribution for Vernal
Vernal leans heavily male at 82.9% of total registrations, but 370 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Vernal as a male name
- Ranked #13,257 in 2005
- 5 male births in 2005
- Peak: 1916 (49 births)
Vernal as a female name
- Ranked #7,543 in 1962
- 5 female births in 1962
- Peak: 1920 (17 births)
Popularity
Vernal: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vernal from the 1890s through to the 2000s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 498 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
Vernal 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 Vernal during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Vernals live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Utah, Idaho, Kansas recorded the most babies named Vernal, while South Carolina, New York, North Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Vernal
The name Vernal has its origins in the Latin word "vernalis," which means "of the spring." It is derived from the Latin word "ver," meaning "spring." The name is associated with the season of spring, symbolizing renewal, growth, and new beginnings.
In ancient Roman culture, the name was often used as a reference to the vernal equinox, which marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. It was also associated with the goddess Verna, who was celebrated during the vernal equinox festivities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vernal can be found in the works of the Roman poet Ovid, who lived from 43 BC to 17 AD. He wrote about the vernal equinox and the celebrations associated with it.
During the Middle Ages, the name Vernal was occasionally used in Europe, although it was not as popular as some other names derived from Latin. One notable figure who bore this name was Vernal of Salins, a Benedictine monk who lived in the 12th century and was known for his religious writings.
In the Renaissance period, the name gained some popularity among humanist scholars who were interested in reviving ancient Roman culture and traditions. One famous individual with the name Vernal was Vernal Brancaccio, an Italian humanist and diplomat who lived from 1455 to 1520.
In the 19th century, the name Vernal was occasionally used in English-speaking countries, although it remained relatively rare. One notable bearer of the name was Vernal C. Ambrose, an American politician who served as the mayor of Freeport, Illinois, in the late 1800s.
Another significant figure with the name Vernal was Vernal A. Ferrin, an American author and historian who lived from 1857 to 1927. He wrote several books on the history of the American West and was known for his research on the Mormon pioneers.
In more recent times, the name Vernal has remained uncommon, but it has been used occasionally by parents who appreciate its connection to nature and the cycle of seasons. Some notable modern individuals with the name include Vernal Bagneris, an American jazz musician, and Vernal Beckwith, an American football player who played in the 1940s.
People
Vernal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vernal 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
Vernal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vernal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 676 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vernal 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 507,033 US residents.
Is Vernal a common name?
We classify Vernal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,158 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vernal most popular?
The single biggest year for Vernal was 1920, when 63 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vernal is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Vernal a male name?
Yes, 82.9% of people registered as Vernal in the SSA data are male. 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.