What does Vera mean?
From the Slavic, “faith,” and echoing the Latin verus, “true.”
What does Zora mean?
Zora means “dawn” or “daybreak” in the Slavic languages.
Vera vs Zora
Which is more popular?
Vera is more popular than Zora today: about 1,482 US babies were given the name Vera in 2025, compared with 264 named Zora.
| Vera | Zora | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Faith; true | Dawn |
| Origin | Slavic | Slavic |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | VEER-uh | ZOR-ah |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1918 (3,923) | 2019 (353) |
| In 2025 | 1,482 | 264 |
| Trend | Rising | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Vera
Zora
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Vera | Zora |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 8,040 | 1,845 |
| 2010s | 9,052 | 1,662 |
| 2000s | 1,612 | 877 |
| 1990s | 869 | 176 |
| 1980s | 1,311 | 63 |
| 1970s | 2,258 | 93 |
| 1960s | 6,032 | 132 |
| 1950s | 11,041 | 290 |
| 1940s | 12,189 | 435 |
| 1930s | 18,023 | 651 |
| 1920s | 32,541 | 1,103 |
| 1910s | 28,289 | 1,155 |
| 1900s | 10,457 | 679 |
| 1890s | 6,377 | 626 |
| 1880s | 1,365 | 415 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Vera or Zora more popular?
Vera is more popular than Zora today: about 1,482 US babies were given the name Vera in 2025, compared with 264 named Zora.
What is the difference between Vera and Zora?
Vera means Faith; true (Slavic origin), while Zora means Dawn (Slavic origin).
Which name is older, Vera or Zora?
In US records, Vera first appears in 1880 and Zora in 1880, so Vera has the longer recorded history.