Veronica is a female given name of Latin origin, derived from the male name Veronica, which is composed of the Latin elements "verus" meaning 'true' and "nic" or "nicolaus" meaning 'victory of the people'. Thus, the name Veronica means 'true victory'.
The name Veronica is believed to have been first used as a personal name in the Middle Ages. It was popularized by the legend of Saint Veronica, who is said to have wiped the sweat from Jesus Christ's face with her veil during his journey to Calvary. According to tradition, the imprint of Jesus' face remained on the veil and became known as the Veil of Veronica. The name Veronica was then used to commemorate this saint.
The name Veronica gained further popularity in medieval Europe due to its association with the cult of Saint Veronica. It was often given to girls born around the time of Veronica's feast day, which is celebrated on July 4th in some Christian traditions.
In English-speaking countries, the name Veronica has been consistently popular throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century. According to data from the Social Security Administration, it was among the top 500 most popular girls' names in the United States every year between 1900 and 2018.
In literature, Veronica appears as a character in several works, including Shakespeare's "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" and D.H. Lawrence's novel "The Rainbow". In pop culture, notable individuals named Veronica include American singer-songwriter Veronica "Ronnie Spector" Bennett and Australian actress Veronica "Ronnie" Granville.
Here are some fascinating statistics about the name Veronic across different years in the United States:
In 1968, there were a total of 5 babies named Veronic born in the U.S.
Four years later, in 1971, that number increased slightly to 8 babies being named Veronic.
By 1976, there was another minor increase with 6 babies receiving the name Veronic.
These figures represent the annual births for the name Veronic over these specific years. Overall, across these three years, a total of 19 babies were given the name Veronic in the United States.