Girl nameCurrently #335 in the USFalling
Vanessa
vuh-NESS-uh//vəˈnɛsə//
3 syllablesPeak year: 19857 lettersStarts with V
Meaning & origin
Coined by Jonathan Swift
Vanessa was coined in the early 18th century by writer Jonathan Swift for a poem, blending syllables of his friend Esther Vanhomrigh's name. It became genuinely popular through the 20th century and remains a smooth, internationally recognized classic.
Vanessa's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Vanessa |
|---|---|
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1913 | 5 |
| 1915 | 10 |
| 1916 | 8 |
| 1917 | 6 |
| 1919 | 6 |
| 1920 | 6 |
| 1921 | 5 |
| 1922 | 6 |
| 1923 | 9 |
| 1925 | 9 |
| 1927 | 5 |
| 1928 | 6 |
| 1929 | 5 |
| 1930 | 10 |
| 1931 | 7 |
| 1932 | 9 |
| 1933 | 7 |
| 1935 | 32 |
| 1936 | 20 |
| 1937 | 17 |
| 1938 | 15 |
| 1939 | 7 |
| 1940 | 14 |
| 1941 | 11 |
| 1942 | 16 |
| 1943 | 10 |
| 1944 | 13 |
| 1945 | 19 |
| 1946 | 14 |
| 1947 | 59 |
| 1948 | 69 |
| 1949 | 70 |
| 1950 | 91 |
| 1951 | 176 |
| 1952 | 695 |
| 1953 | 2,007 |
| 1954 | 2,652 |
| 1955 | 2,705 |
| 1956 | 2,617 |
| 1957 | 2,387 |
| 1958 | 2,754 |
| 1959 | 3,134 |
| 1960 | 2,720 |
| 1961 | 2,773 |
| 1962 | 2,251 |
| 1963 | 2,032 |
| 1964 | 2,064 |
| 1965 | 1,638 |
| 1966 | 1,651 |
| 1967 | 1,875 |
| 1968 | 1,802 |
| 1969 | 2,240 |
| 1970 | 2,581 |
| 1971 | 2,667 |
| 1972 | 2,288 |
| 1973 | 2,155 |
| 1974 | 2,361 |
| 1975 | 2,455 |
| 1976 | 2,473 |
| 1977 | 3,224 |
| 1978 | 3,865 |
| 1979 | 4,119 |
| 1980 | 4,447 |
| 1981 | 4,773 |
| 1982 | 6,206 |
| 1983 | 6,446 |
| 1984 | 7,198 |
| 1985 | 7,606 |
| 1986 | 7,512 |
| 1987 | 7,394 |
| 1988 | 7,588 |
| 1989 | 7,014 |
| 1990 | 6,441 |
| 1991 | 5,953 |
| 1992 | 6,109 |
| 1993 | 5,920 |
| 1994 | 5,570 |
| 1995 | 5,420 |
| 1996 | 5,763 |
| 1997 | 5,816 |
| 1998 | 5,843 |
| 1999 | 5,297 |
| 2000 | 5,146 |
| 2001 | 4,680 |
| 2002 | 4,460 |
| 2003 | 4,358 |
| 2004 | 4,359 |
| 2005 | 4,103 |
| 2006 | 4,175 |
| 2007 | 4,455 |
| 2008 | 4,038 |
| 2009 | 3,523 |
| 2010 | 2,893 |
| 2011 | 2,626 |
| 2012 | 2,553 |
| 2013 | 2,102 |
| 2014 | 1,932 |
| 2015 | 1,729 |
| 2016 | 1,663 |
| 2017 | 1,521 |
| 2018 | 1,378 |
| 2019 | 1,224 |
| 2020 | 1,383 |
| 2021 | 1,226 |
| 2022 | 1,026 |
| 2023 | 1,012 |
| 2024 | 933 |
Vanessa through the decades
- Vanessa peaked in 1985, when 7,606 babies were named Vanessa in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Vanessa has fallen 60% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Vanessa currently ranks #335 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Nessa
Variants & spellings
Vanesa
Famous people named Vanessa
- Vanessa Redgrave — actress