The baby name Verity blends a virtuous meaning with a dash of pop culture currencty.
Thanks to Ella for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME VERITY MEAN?
The baby name Verity comes with a straightforward meaning: truth.
It’s from the Latin word veritas.
PURITAN FAVORITE
Verity sounds like it’s part of the Protestant tradition favoring virtue names. Mercy and Felicity feel right at home on Plymouth Rock.
Except that such names weren’t actually the norm. Some names, like Love and Resolved, clearly took inspiration from their parents’ faith. But most settlers answered to John and Elizabeth and Richard – the names of the day.
There were girls named Verity, though, amongst Puritan parents. And the name does fit with that moment in naming history.
BRITISH(ISH)
The baby name Verity also leans vaguely British.
A few noteworthy uses include:
- Madonna made a cameo as a fencing instructor in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day. Her character was Verity, opposite Pierce Brosnan as Bond.
- In one of the later Harry Potter books, Verity is a sales clerk in the Fred and George Weasley’s shop on Diagon Alley.
- ITV1 soap opera Emmerdale used the character name.
- Verity Charlton was seen on the Australian soap Neighbours.
- One more from television: drama seriesPoldark gives us Verity, cousin to Ross.
- Verity Sharp is a radio presenter in England.
- Sci fi fans everywhere owe a debt to Verity Lambert, the British TV producer responsible for the very first series of the BBC’s legendary Doctor Who back in the 1960s.
No question it’s a girl’s name, but not a particularly common one. Even in England and Wales, the name generally hovers in the Top 400.
VERITY AS A SURNAME
A number of notables have answered to the last name Verity.
Elsie Verity taught British soldiers how to drive for the first World War, then took over and expanded her father’s garage to include driving lessons. Later she showed yet another generation of British men to drive for the second World War, as well as teaching mechanics and repair.
In addition, it’s been used as the name of a ship and at least one sculpture.
COLLEEN HOOVER
In 2018, Colleen Hoover scored a hit with her novel Verity. The story focuses on struggling writer Lowen Ashely. Lowen is recruited to finish the novels of the severely incapacitated Verity Crawford, a beautiful author of many a bestseller.
Twists and turns follow.
The bestseller is now being adapted as a movie, with Anne Hathaway as Verity and Dakota Johnson in the title role.
Typically, even the main character of a movie doesn’t increase interest in a name dramatically. But when the name is also the film’s title? That might make a difference.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME VERITY?
The baby name Verity has yet to rank in the United States Top 1000.
In terms of popularity, it lags far behind Grace, Hope, and Faith, as well as Felicity and Mercy, though it’s a bit ahead of Amity in recent years.
As of 2023, 117 girls were named Verity. That’s close to the all-time high of 129 births in the year 2020.
WEARABLE VIRTUE NAME
Overall, the first name Verity feels very wearable.
It shortens nicely: Vee, Vera, Vez.
Verity fits with the long-standing trend favorite three-syllable girl names ending with IE or Y. If Emery and Natalie work, why not Verity?
Maybe the vibe is different in the UK, but in the US? Verity fits with virtue names for little girls, a mix of more popular names like Vivian, Kennedy, and Grace.
What do you think of the baby name Verity?
First published on July 26, 2008, this post was revised on April 2, 2025.
Would you do an update on this name? I’m seeing Verity more and more in books, such as Verity Kent, a main character in a cozy mystery series, and I think it would be interesting to note some of those references.
I have a friend called Verity which is how I discovered the name. I love both the meaning and the sound of the name.
I love the name Verity. Although the first time i heard it used as a name was for a boy, and now i see it as a boy’s name, and is strange to be heard for a girl. It still doesn’t change the fact i love it
My name is Verity, Emma and I love it! I am now 14 and It has suited me since I was born. Ever since I was a baby I have been getting compliments. I have dark brown hair and I dont think Verity is a name thats suits a blonde child.
Lovely meaning!
I find Verity to be very charming. It’s a pretty sound and a pretty meaning. I also think she’s more modern and less fussy than Felicity. I’m not much of a virtue name sort of girl myself, but I thoroughly appreciate Verity and Mercy as virtue names for the new millennium.
I like Verity. It’s a pretty name, and I’d love to see it over a Grace or Faith anyday. Vera would be a lovely nickname for Verity, but I think it’s nice as a stand alone name. I’ve never quite known how to pronouce it either; I’ve always though it was VAIR-a.
I also like Vrai, the literal French word for truth. If parents are looking for a different, underused one-syllable virtue middle name, Vrai would definitely be a better choice that Faith or Hope.
I say veer-ah for Vera. I used to work with one, years ago and that’s how she said it. 🙂
I thoroughly like Verity, nickname potential or not. I like her meaning and find it more “needed now” than Grace or Faith (Amity’s another favorite). I like Verity’s warmth and verve very much. I find her peppy, spunky and happy. Verity gets a :thumsup: from me! Lovely!
You mentioned Vera as a nickname for Verity. But I’ve always struggled with the pronunciation of Vera. Is it Veer-a or Vair-a (rhymes with Fair-a)?