Declining since 1994, #4,758 for girls today.
Popularity of Berenice since 1883
Babies named Berenice per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 57 |
| 1890s | 231 |
| 1900s | 288 |
| 1910s | 712 |
| 1920s | 570 |
| 1930s | 190 |
| 1940s | 110 |
| 1950s | 78 |
| 1960s | 61 |
| 1970s | 182 |
| 1980s | 788 |
| 1990s | 2,552 |
| 2000s | 2,482 |
| 2010s | 950 |
| 2020s | 262 |
Meaning & origin
Berenice is a name of Greek and Macedonian origin, meaning 'she who brings victory,' derived from the elements pherein (to bring) and nike (victory). It was a royal name in the Ptolemaic dynasty, linked to queens like Berenice II, after whom the constellation Coma Berenices is named. The name also appears in the New Testament (as Bernice in the King James Version). In modern U.S. usage, Berenice remains relatively rare: in 2025, it ranked 4758 with only 1 in 57,402 girls receiving the name. Its peak popularity was in 1995, and its trajectory has been falling since 1994. The name is most common in California and Texas.
Berenice derives from the Greek name Berenike, combining pherein (to bring) and nike (victory). It was borne by several queens of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, including Berenice II, wife of Ptolemy III, for whom the constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair) is named. The name entered English via the Latin Vulgate Bible, where it appears as Berenice, sister of Herod Agrippa, though the King James Version uses Bernice. The spelling Bernice became more common in English, but Berenice has persisted as a classical revival name.
Where Berenice is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Berenice” around the world
Where Berenice lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
105
babies in 2024
Quebec
5
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Bernie, Benni, Niece
Variants: Bernice, Berenike, Bereniké
Sibling names for Berenice
Names that share Berenice's style, for a brother or sister.
