Veronica
/vəˈrɒnɪkə/noun
A feminine given name, also used for a genus of flowering plants commonly called speedwell.
Did you know?The name became linked in medieval Christianity to Saint Veronica, who was said to have offered Jesus a cloth that miraculously retained his image—the legendary “true image.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰer-
“To carry, bear, or bring”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Berenikē
“Bearer of victory, formed from phérein, “to carry,” and níkē, “victory””
Hellenistic Period
Greek
Bereníkē
“A Greek feminine name meaning “she who brings victory””
Ancient Rome
Latin
Berenice
“Latinized form of the Greek personal name”
Late Antiquity–Middle Ages
Late Latin
Veronica
“A reshaped form of Berenice, influenced by the phrase vera icon, “true image””
Medieval Europe
Latin
Veronica
“The name of the legendary woman associated with Christ’s miraculous portrait”
16th Century–Modern English
English
Veronica
“A personal name and, later, the name of the speedwell plant genus”