Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Veronica

Interestingly, Veronica is the Latin form of the Greek personal name Berenice, derived from the Greek elements “phérein” (‘to bring”) and “níkê” (‘victory’) – or more simply, ‘she who brings victory’. There is some folk etymology associated with Veronica’s meaning thanks to the legend of a 1st century saint who bore this name. It was influenced by the Latin phrase “vera icon” which is connected with the early Church and means ‘true image.’ Veronica is simply an anagram of this phrase. St. Veronica was a pious woman who followed Christ as he carried his cross on the way to Calvary. She compassionately wiped his face with her veil and, according to tradition, his image was then miraculously imprinted on the cloth – hence Veronica being associated with the ‘true image’ of Christ. This story became immensely popular among early Christians and the veil was a cherished relic of the Church (Veil of Veronica). By the Middle Ages, naming children after saints was used as a protective measure throughout Europe and Veronica has taken on several formations: Verónica (Spanish), Véronique (French), Veronika (German). The French eventually brought the name to England where it gained favor in more modern times.

All About the Baby Name – Veronica

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME VERONICA

Romance is the hallmark of the Six personality. They exude nurturing, loving, and caring energy. Sixes are in love with the idea of love in its idealized form - and with their magnetic personalities, they easily draw people toward them. Like the number Two personality, they seek balance and harmony in their life and the world at large. They are conscientious and service-oriented, and a champion for the underdog. These personalities naturally attract money and are usually surrounded by lovely material objects - but their human relationships are always primary. They thrive in giving back to others rather than being motivated by their own desires. This is when they achieve great things. Sixes are natural teachers, ministers and counselors.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME VERONICA

The name Veronica has been on the American popularity charts since the U.S. government first began tracking naming trends in 1880. At the turn of the 20th century, Veronica was a name used in moderation, but she quietly climbed the charts without much fuss as the decades progressed. In 1972, Veronica landing a spot on the Top 100 list of most popular girl names where she would remain for 20 years. As we’ve entered this new century, Veronica has been on the decline. Long associated with the Catholic Church, the name Veronica has been a particular favorite among Americans of Hispanic or Latino descent. Considered slightly old-fashioned today, Veronica has shown impressive fortitude and tenacity on the charts. Ronnie or Roni are darling nicknames for this gorgeous four-syllable lady. We agree the name has a rather “saintly” quality, but there’s a dose of sweet and sexy, too (think: Veronica Lake, the “peek-a-boo” actress from the 1940s Hollywood era).

Quick Facts

ON VERONICA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

Latin

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

4

RANKING POPULARITY:

337

PRONUNCIATION:

və-RAHN-i-kə

SIMPLE MEANING:

She who brings victory; True image

Characteristics

OF VERONICA

Humanitarian

Community-minded

Family-oriented

Loving

Affectionate

Compassionate

Sensitive

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Veronica

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME VERONICA

Veronica Lodge is a major character in the Archie comics series, which debuted in 1942. Brunette and beautiful, she competes with the blonde Betty Cooper (her best friend) for the teen-aged affections of Archie Andrews in small town Riverdale. While Betty is sweet and natural, our Veronica is rich, self-centered, snobbish, vain, spoiled, and she will stoop to any trickery to get her “man”. And we love her. The only child of a rich man (“Daddykins”), Veronica is a young lady born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She is a shopaholic, a cheerleader, a horse rider, a figure skater, a scuba diver and a would-be homecoming queen. While Archie is her main squeeze, she also dates Reggie Mantle, which is only natural, as he is the richest boy in town. As for Jughead Jones, she and he do not see eye-to-eye, most likely because he is apt to call her out on her high-stepping airs. All in all, Veronica is an almost too-good-to-be-true-bad girl. If this is the worst Riverdale could produce, all towns in America should be so lucky. At the end of the day, Veronica usually is made to see the error of her ways, and she always tries to make amends – usually by throwing cash around. Hey – whatever works.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME VERONICA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Veronica


Popular Songs

ON VERONICA

Veronica Hates Me
a song by Screeching Weasel

Veronica Fever
a song by the Raveonettes

Veronica
a song by The Huntingtons

Famous People

NAMED VERONICA

Veronica Lake (actress)
Saint Veronica (Catholic saint)
Veronica (singer)
Veronica Ballestrini (singer)
Veronica Cartwright (actress)
Verónica Castro (Mexican actress)
Veronica De La Cruz (CNN News anchor)
Veronica Finn (former pop singer)
Veronica Franco (poet and courtesan in sixteenth-century Venice)
Veronica Guerin (murdered Irish journalist)
Veronica Giuliani (Italian mystic)
Veronica Scott (TV personality)
Veronica Varlow (burlesque dancer)

Children of Famous People

NAMED VERONICA

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Veronica

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME VERONICA

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Veronica