It was named after Italian Romantic composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) in 1979, as recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

Verdi lies in the northern section of the Shakespeare quadrangle and is relatively large for a Mercurian crater, with a low rim and shallow floor.

[2] The crater has a diameter of about 145 km (90 mi), although estimates of its size have varied.

Verdi was first imaged by Mariner 10, a robotic space probe launched in the early 1970s to survey Venus and Mercury.

[6] A number of Mercurian craters are named after historic cultural figures from different fields, including literature, philosophy, and art, but others feature names from popular culture, including Walt Disney (Disney crater) and Muddy Waters (Waters crater).