Vonna
A feminine name with origins in the Latin name "Bona", meaning virtuous or good.
Name Census estimates that about 534 living Americans carry the first name Vonna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Vonna today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Vonna births was 1960 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Vonna. 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 Vonna is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Vonnas were born before 1967.
People living today
534
~ 1 in 641,862 Americans
Peak year
1960
36 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
2021 SSA rank
#17,511
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Vonna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Vonna from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 256 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vonna 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 Vonna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Vonnas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, Missouri, Illinois recorded the most babies named Vonna, while West Virginia, Texas, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Vonna
The name Vonna has its roots in the German language and is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages. It is a feminine name derived from the Old High German name Wunna, which means "joy" or "delight." The name Vonna was particularly popular in Central Europe, particularly in regions like Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vonna can be found in the 12th-century German epic poem "Nibelungenlied." In this literary work, a character named Vonna is mentioned, though her role is relatively minor. This suggests that the name was in use during that time period, at least among the Germanic peoples.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Vonna. One of the earliest was Vonna von Dornberg (c. 1350-1410), a German noblewoman and landowner who lived during the late Middle Ages. She is remembered for her involvement in a legal dispute over land ownership, which was eventually resolved in her favor.
In the 16th century, there was Vonna von Büren (1516-1587), a Swiss nun and writer who authored several religious texts and was known for her piety and devotion to the Catholic faith. Her works were widely read and influential in her time.
Moving into the modern era, one notable figure was Vonna Michell (1888-1967), an American journalist and author who wrote extensively about the American West and the experiences of pioneers and settlers. Her book "The Golden West" (1932) was a popular work that chronicled the lives of those who ventured into the western territories of the United States.
Another prominent individual with the name Vonna was Vonna Harper (1923-2018), an American actress and singer who appeared in several Broadway productions and Hollywood films in the mid-20th century. She was particularly known for her roles in musicals and her powerful vocal abilities.
Finally, it's worth mentioning Vonna Everett (1909-1992), an American artist and sculptor who gained recognition for her abstract works and contributions to the modernist art movement. Her sculptures and installations were featured in numerous galleries and exhibitions throughout her career.
These are just a few examples of individuals who carried the name Vonna throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods, despite its relatively obscure origins.
People
Vonna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Vonna 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
Vonna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Vonna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 534 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Vonna 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 641,862 US residents.
Is Vonna a common name?
We classify Vonna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,095 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Vonna most popular?
The single biggest year for Vonna was 1960, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Vonna is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Vonna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Vonna 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.