Vanessa
Gender: Girl
Meaning: Butterfly; invented name
Origin: Literary/English
Popularity: Ranked #377 in 2025 with 813 babies born.
History: Invented by Jonathan Swift in 1726 for his poem 'Cadenus and Vanessa,' combining parts of his friend's name Esther Vanhomrigh. The Vanessa butterfly genus was later named for it. It was hugely popular in the 1980s–90s.
Name length: 7 letters
How common is Vanessa? About 1 in 4,094 babies born in 2025 were named Vanessa, or roughly 2.2 per day in the United States.
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Frequently asked about Vanessa
What does the name Vanessa mean?
Vanessa means “Butterfly; invented name” from Literary/English roots.
What is the origin of the name Vanessa?
Vanessa has Literary/English origin. The traditional meaning is “Butterfly; invented name”.
How popular is Vanessa?
Vanessa ranked #377 in 2025 — given to 813 babies that year.
When was Vanessa most popular?
Vanessa peaked in 1985 with 7,564 babies registered that year.
Is Vanessa a boy or girl name?
Vanessa is predominantly a girls' name — over 90% of Vanessas in registered births are female.
Is the name Vanessa rising or falling in popularity?
Vanessa has fallen 168 spots in the rankings over the last 5 years — from #209 in 2020 to #377 in 2025.
How long has Vanessa been recorded?
Vanessa appears in birth records across 109 years — from 1900 through 2025.