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Vernice

♂ Boy

Pronounced vur-NEESS /vɜrˈniːs/Medium

Meaning: As a boys' name, Vernice most likely draws on Vernon, a Norman surname from a Gaulish place name meaning 'place of alders'. It also echoes the girls' name Bernice, from Greek 'bringing victory'; recorded here for boys, the Vernon link fits best.Low

In 30 seconds: Vernice, as a boys' name, leans on Vernon, a Norman place name meaning 'alder grove'. A rare early-century choice, it also echoes the girls' name Bernice.

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Origin LowFrench, English

MeaningAs a boys' name, Vernice most likely draws on Vernon, a Norman surname from a Gaulish place name meaning 'place of alders'. It also echoes the girls' name Bernice, from Greek 'bringing victory'; recorded here for boys, the Vernon link fits best.

U.S. rank (1973)#5848 ↘ Falling

1973 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1918

Total births (all-time)≈ 789

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

Vernice is an uncommon name that pulls in two directions. For boys, as recorded here, it most plausibly reflects Vernon, a Norman surname from a Gaulish place name meaning 'place of alders'. It also resembles the girls' name Bernice, from Greek 'bringing victory', and the two forms influenced each other in early-century America.

It was never common, appearing at a few dozen boys a year with a faint peak around 1918 before fading by the 1970s. Vernice reads as a soft, old-fashioned name of blurred gender feel, and it has not been part of any modern revival.

Did you know? Vernice sits on a gender fault line: for girls it echoes Bernice, 'bringing victory', while for boys it leans toward Vernon, an old Norman 'alder grove' name.

Overall data confidence 50%

References - Vernice / Vernon — Vernon 'place of alders'; echoes Bernice; recorded M here

Variations

VernonBerniceVernissVernis

Nicknames

VernVernie

Famous Bearers

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If you like Vernice…

Vernon— the likely source name for the boys' use

Bernice— the girls' name it echoes

Vern— the natural short form

Berniece— a comparable soft vintage -ice name

Explore names like Vernice

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Vernice mean?

Vernice, used here for boys, most likely draws on Vernon, meaning 'place of alders'; it also echoes the girls' name Bernice.

How do you pronounce Vernice?

It's said vur-NEESS /vɜrˈniːs/ - two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Vernice a boy or girl name?

In these records Vernice is used as a boy's name, though it also appears as a girl's name.

How popular is Vernice?

Vernice has always been rare, a soft vintage name that never entered common use.