What does Milena mean?
Milena comes from the Slavic mil, “gracious,” “dear” or “loving.”
What does Vera mean?
From the Slavic, “faith,” and echoing the Latin verus, “true.”
Milena vs Vera
Which is more popular?
Vera is more popular than Milena today: about 1,482 US babies were given the name Vera in 2025, compared with 271 named Milena.
| Milena | Vera | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Gracious, dear | Faith; true |
| Origin | Slavic | Slavic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | mee-LEH-nah | VEER-uh |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1918 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2019 (428) | 1918 (3,923) |
| In 2025 | 271 | 1,482 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Milena
Vera
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Milena | Vera |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,083 | 8,040 |
| 2010s | 3,218 | 9,052 |
| 2000s | 1,351 | 1,612 |
| 1990s | 457 | 869 |
| 1980s | 239 | 1,311 |
| 1970s | 231 | 2,258 |
| 1960s | 94 | 6,032 |
| 1950s | 39 | 11,041 |
| 1940s | 26 | 12,189 |
| 1930s | 0 | 18,023 |
| 1920s | 6 | 32,541 |
| 1910s | 5 | 28,289 |
| 1900s | 0 | 10,457 |
| 1890s | 0 | 6,377 |
| 1880s | 0 | 1,365 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Milena or Vera more popular?
Vera is more popular than Milena today: about 1,482 US babies were given the name Vera in 2025, compared with 271 named Milena.
What is the difference between Milena and Vera?
Milena means Gracious, dear (Slavic origin), while Vera means Faith; true (Slavic origin).
Which name is older, Milena or Vera?
In US records, Milena first appears in 1918 and Vera in 1880, so Vera has the longer recorded history.