Vanessa
Vanessa: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /vəˈnɛsə/
Meaning and origin of Vanessa
- A female given name originating as a coinage.
Etymology
Coined by Jonathan Swift in the 18th century as a pseudonym for a lady friend named Esther Vanhomrigh (or Van Homrigh), an Irish woman of Dutch descent, by taking the Dutch preposition van from her surname and adding -essa (perhaps influenced by the first syllable of Esther).
How popular is Vanessa?
Since 1880, 261,622 girls and 984 boys in the U.S. have been named Vanessa (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #41 in 1988. Its highest rank for boys was #1201 in 1988. In 2025 it ranked #377 for girls, with 813 babies given the name.
Names similar to Vanessa
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Sibling name ideas for Vanessa
Names that peaked around the same time as Vanessa and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Vanessa FAQ
What does the name Vanessa mean?
A female given name originating as a coinage. Coined by Jonathan Swift in the 18th century as a pseudonym for a lady friend named Esther Vanhomrigh (or Van Homrigh), an Irish woman of Dutch descent, by taking the Dutch preposition van from her surname and adding -essa (perhaps influenced by the first syllable of Esther).
How popular is the name Vanessa?
Since 1880, 261,622 girls and 984 boys in the U.S. have been named Vanessa (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #41 in 1988. Its highest rank for boys was #1201 in 1988. In 2025 it ranked #377 for girls, with 813 babies given the name.
Is Vanessa a boy or girl name?
Vanessa is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 261,622 girls and 984 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.