In 1883, the Northern Pacific Railway station was established on September 2. During this time, the township was called Matson. Since then, the name of the township has been changed to Ovid. The origin is not known. The name was changed because another township in the Dakotas had the same name.

It is supposed the Postal Department selected the name, Verona, which has no local significance. The Post Office was established on June 25, 1886, with James J. Stephens as Postmaster.

Another version as to the origin of the name is that it was named by a local settler for his former home, Verona, Michigan.

The village was incorporated in 1905 and became a city in the year 1968.