Declining since 1997, #4,758 for girls today.
Popularity of Vanesa since 1953
Babies named Vanesa per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 63 |
| 1960s | 120 |
| 1970s | 274 |
| 1980s | 1,064 |
| 1990s | 1,945 |
| 2000s | 2,216 |
| 2010s | 710 |
| 2020s | 147 |
Meaning & origin
Vanesa stands as a less common spelling of the enduringly popular Vanessa. While the standard Vanessa has maintained a strong presence in the U.S. top 1000 for decades, this variant has followed a different trajectory. First recorded in 1953, Vanesa saw its peak popularity in 2002, a time when creative spellings of established names were on the rise. By 2025, however, its rank had fallen to 4,758, with only about 1 in 57,402 newborns receiving the name. The name's trajectory has been falling since 1997, suggesting a continued decline in usage. Despite its rarity, Vanesa retains the literary and whimsical charm of its source, the invented name Vanessa from Jonathan Swift's 18th-century poem, offering a distinctive alternative that connects to a well-known classic.
Vanesa is a variant spelling of Vanessa, a name coined by the Anglo-Irish author Jonathan Swift for his poem 'Cadenus and Vanessa' (1713). Swift created it from the name Esther Vanhomrigh, his friend and possible lover, by taking Van from her surname and Esa from the pet form of Esther. The spelling Vanesa, with one 's', is relatively rare but documented in the United States since at least 1953.
Where Vanesa 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.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Vana, Nessa, Vee, Sessa
Sibling names for Vanesa
Names that share Vanesa's style, for a brother or sister.
