Verney
Of Latin origin, signifying one who comes from Verneuil.
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Verney. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Verney today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Verney births was 1917 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Verney. 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 Verney is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Verneys were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Verney. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1917
7 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1945 SSA rank
#3,757
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Verney: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Verney from the 1910s through to the 1940s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 12 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Verney remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Verney 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 Verney 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 Verney
The name Verney has its origins in the Latin language, deriving from the word "vernalis," which means "of the spring" or "vernal." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to refer to a child born during the spring season or to symbolize the renewal and rebirth associated with that time of year.
During the Middle Ages, the name Verney emerged as a variant spelling of the French name "Verne," which itself evolved from the Latin root "vernalis." The name gained popularity in parts of Europe, particularly in France and England, where it was sometimes used as a surname as well as a given name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Verney can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named "Verney de Anet," indicating that the name was already in use among the Norman nobility at that time.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Verney. One such figure was Sir Ralph Verney (1613-1696), an English politician and member of parliament during the English Civil War. He was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause and played a significant role in the conflict.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir Harry Verney (1801-1894), a British soldier and Member of Parliament. He served in the Crimean War and was awarded the Order of the Bath for his military service.
In the realm of literature, Verney Lovett Cameron (1844-1894) was a British explorer and travel writer who gained fame for his journeys across Africa in the late 19th century. His accounts of his expeditions, including "Across Africa" and "To the Zambesi," provided valuable insights into the continent's geography and cultures.
In the field of science, Verney Troubridge Worthington (1855-1942) was a British civil engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early internal combustion engines and automotive technologies.
Finally, Verney Camille Loisel (1882-1967) was a French artist and illustrator renowned for his Art Nouveau style and his collaborations with renowned writers such as Anatole France and Pierre Louÿs.
These examples demonstrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the name Verney throughout history, spanning fields such as politics, military, literature, science, and the arts.
People
Verney + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Verney 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
Verney: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Verney?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Verney 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Verney a common name?
We classify Verney as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 17 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Verney most popular?
The single biggest year for Verney was 1917, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Verney is about 83 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 Verney in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Verney a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Verney 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 Verney still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Verney 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 Verney 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 many Americans are named Verney?
See how many people share the name Verney on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.