Veronica is a feminine given name used in English, Italian, Romanian, and other languages. It originates as a Latin alteration of the Ancient Macedonian name Berenice, which itself comes from the Attic Greek Pherenike, meaning "she who brings victory" (from pherein, "to bring," and nike, "victory"). The spelling was influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase vera icon, meaning "true image," which became associated with a legendary saint.EtymologyBerenice was a royal name in the Hellenistic period, used by the Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties. The Latin vernacular form Veronica arose through a medieval reinterpretation of the name as if it derived from vera icon. This folk etymology was reinforced by the story of Saint Veronica, who, according to tradition, wiped Jesus's face with a cloth that miraculously bore his image—hence the "true image."Historical and Cultural SignificanceThe name was occasionally used in Christian Europe during the Middle Ages due to the popularity of the Saint Veronica legend. It was borne by the Italian mystic and saint Veronica Giuliani (1660–1727), who was canonized in 1839. In English-speaking countries, the name was uncommon until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland. George Eliot gave the name to a character in her novel Felix Holt, the Radical (1866), which helped popularize it.DistributionVeronica has been widely used in the Anglosphere, particularly in the United States, where it peaked in the 1960s and 1970s. It remains common in Italy and Romania.Meaning: "True image" (via Latin vera icon); originally "she who brings victory"Origin: Latin alteration of BereniceType: First nameUsage regions: English-speaking countries, Italy, Romania, Latin Europe