Vere

♂ Boy

Pronounced VEER /ˈvɪər/Low

Meaning: Vere is chiefly an English surname turned given name, from the Norman de Vere, a territorial name taken from Ver in Normandy. The de Vere family were the Earls of Oxford for centuries. The place-name is sometimes linked to a Gaulish word for alder or water; the surname sense is the sure one.Low

In 30 seconds: Vere is an English surname and given name from the Norman de Vere, a Normandy place-name borne by the Earls of Oxford. It was never common and peaked in the nineteen-twenties (said VEER).

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Origin LowEnglish, Norman

MeaningVere is chiefly an English surname turned given name, from the Norman de Vere, a territorial name taken from Ver in Normandy. The de Vere family were the Earls of Oxford for centuries. The place-name is sometimes linked to a Gaulish word for alder or water; the surname sense is the sure one.

U.S. rank (1989)#9168 ↘ Falling

1989 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1922

Total births (all-time)≈ 193

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Vere comes from the Norman surname de Vere, a place-name from Ver in Normandy carried to England after the Conquest and long held by the Earls of Oxford. Used quietly as a boy's given name, it belongs to the surname-name tradition of the English aristocracy.

It was always rare as a first name in the United States, given to only about sixteen boys a year at its peak in the nineteen-twenties. A boy named Vere then would be a great-grandfather today.

Did you know? The de Vere family held the earldom of Oxford from the eleventh century, and their surname, taken from the Norman village of Ver, is the source of the given name Vere.

Overall data confidence 45%

References - Vere — Norman surname de Vere (place-name in Normandy; Earls of Oxford)

Variations

VereVearWeir

Nicknames

Vere

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Vere mean?

It is a surname and given name from the Norman de Vere, a place-name in Normandy borne by the Earls of Oxford.

How do you pronounce Vere?

It is said VEER /ˈvɪər/, one syllable rhyming with 'here.'

Is Vere a boy or girl name?

Vere is used mainly as a boy's name.

How popular is Vere?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about sixteen boys a year at its peak in the nineteen-twenties.