Vernes
A masculine name of French origin meaning "from the alders or alder trees".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Vernes. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Vernes today is around 71 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vernes births was 1915 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vernes. 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 Vernes is about 71 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Vernes' were born before 1965.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Vernes. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1915
5 babies that year
Average age
71
years old
1932 SSA rank
#4,249
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Vernes: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vernes from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vernes 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 Vernes during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Vernes
The name Vernes is derived from the French word "verne," meaning an alder tree. This name has its roots in ancient Gaulish and Celtic cultures, where the alder tree held significant symbolic meaning. The earliest known reference to the name dates back to the 5th century, appearing in records of the Franks, a Germanic tribe that conquered parts of modern-day France and Germany.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Vernes was Vernes of Arles, a 6th-century bishop who played a pivotal role in the conversion of the Franks to Christianity. His influence extended beyond religious matters, as he was also known for his diplomatic efforts in mediating conflicts between various factions.
During the Middle Ages, the name Vernes gained popularity among the nobility in France and neighboring regions. Notable figures include Vernes de Thouars, a 12th-century crusader who participated in the Third Crusade, and Vernes de Montpellier, a 13th-century troubadour and poet renowned for his romantic verses.
In the Renaissance period, the name Vernes was associated with several prominent scholars and intellectuals. Vernes Lefevre (1493-1537), a French humanist and theologian, was a leading figure in the Christian reform movement and a close associate of John Calvin. Vernes Descartes (1596-1650), the renowned philosopher and mathematician, is perhaps the most famous individual to bear this name, known for his groundbreaking work in philosophy and contributions to the development of modern mathematics.
In more recent history, Vernes has been the name of several notable artists and writers. Vernes van Gogh (1853-1890), a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter, is renowned for his vibrant and expressive works, including iconic pieces like "The Starry Night" and "Sunflowers." Vernes Zola (1840-1902), a French novelist and playwright, was a leading figure in the literary movement of naturalism and is best known for his monumental work, the Rougon-Macquart novel cycle.
While the name Vernes may not be as common today as it once was, it carries a rich cultural heritage and has been borne by individuals who have left an indelible mark on various fields throughout history, from religion and philosophy to art and literature.
People
Vernes + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vernes 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
Vernes: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vernes?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vernes 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Vernes a common name?
We classify Vernes as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vernes most popular?
The single biggest year for Vernes was 1915, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vernes is about 71 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Vernes in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Vernes a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vernes 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.
Is Vernes still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Vernes in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Vernes can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Vernes?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Vernes at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.