The meaning of the name “Vanessa” is: “Butterfly”.
Additional information: There are two probably origins of the name Vanessa. The most popular story says that the name was created by Irish writer Jonathan Swift as a pet name for a woman, Esther Vanhomrigh, to whom he was very close. By rearranging the names “Van”homrigh and “Es”ther, he came up with Vanessa (“Essa” being a diminutive form of Esther). The second possible origin is that the name comes from the Greek goddess Phanessa. From either origin, the name takes the meaning "butterfly" and was even used to name a genus of butterflies in the 1800s.
No alternate spellings exist for this name, but it has variations in other languages including Vanesa, Wanesa, Vanasia, Vane, and Vanessza. The most frequently used short forms of Vanessa are Nessa, Van, Ness, or Vee (also V) and other less common short forms include Nessy, Vanny, Vans, Nester, or Vaness. Nessa is sometimes used as a given name on its own, being taken from the full name Vanessa.
Vanessa has been a popular name in the US starting from the 1950s through to 2014 with a peak of popularity at 41st most popular female baby names in 1988. The highest popularity this name has ever held is being the 3rd most popular female baby name in Switzerland in 1997. Since that time Vanessa has seen a downward trend in usage in Switzerland, and 2013 it placed at 72nd most popular. Canada experienced a similar trend with the name being the 23rd most popular female baby name in 1986 but falling out of the top 100 in 2009. Worldwide it was ranked the 20th most popular female baby name in Mexico, the 52nd most popular in Austria, the 69th most popular in the Czech Republic, the 81st most popular in Poland, and the 88th most popular name Croatia in 2014.
Famous people named Vanessa include Vanessa Hudgens, a singer; Vanessa Marano, an actress; Vanessa Carlton, a singer; Vanessa Williams, an actress and Vanessa Redgrave, actress.
Pronunciation: vah NESS ah) Form of: Itself (Vanessa)
Considering Vanessa as a Baby Name?
The first thing you should know if you are considering Vanessa for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Vanessa is a girl name.
The name Vanessa is of Latin origin, and is used mostly in English speaking countries but also in a few other countries and languages of the world.
If you consider naming your baby Vanessa we recommend you take note of the special meaning and history of the name as your baby’s name will play a big role in its life and your baby will hear it spoken every day. Searching for a name is a very important and fun process as it’s the very first gift you will give to your baby. Many people believe that the name can affect success in life, through their children's working career and other circumstances, so they choose more “respectable” names or name meanings as they believe that the name meaning reflects the personality of the child.
Vanessa Name Meaning
The meaning of Vanessa is “Butterfly”. Keep in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages, so be careful that the name that you choose doesn’t mean something bad or unpleasant. Search comprehensively and find the name meaning of Vanessa and its name origin or of any other name in our database. Also note the spelling and the pronunciation of the name Vanessa and check the initials of the name with your last name to discover how it looks and sounds. The history and meaning of the name Vanessa is fascinating, learn more about it. (If you know more meanings of the name and you would like to contribute click here to submit another name meaning).
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Name Vanessa Categories
The name Vanessa is in the following categories: English Names, Literary Characters Names, Movie Star Names. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an influential factor when choosing a name. Instead, we recommend that you pay a greater attention to the origin and meaning of the name Vanessa. Read our baby name articles for useful tips regarding baby names and naming your baby. If you are thinking of giving your baby the beautiful name Vanessa, spread the love and share this with your friends.
Popularity of the Name Vanessa
Below you will find the popularity of the baby name Vanessa displayed annually, from 1880 to the present day in our name popularity chart. Hover over or click on the dots that represent a year to see how many babies were given the name for that year, for both genders, if available.
Vanessa Boy Name Popularity Chart
Vanessa Girl Name Popularity Chart
Note:The data above is from the Social Security Administrator of United States, (more info here) from Social Security card applications for births in US for every name, from 1880 up to the present year. The gender associated with the name might be incorrect, as the data presents the record applications without being edited for errors. The name's popularity and ranking is announced annually, so the data for this year will not be available until next year. The more babies that are given a name, the higher popularity ranking the name receives. For names with the same popularity, the tie is solved by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. This means that if two or more names have the same popularity their rankings may differ significantly, as they are set in alphabetical order. If a name has less than five occurrences, the SSA excludes it from the provided data to protect privacy.
If you’re not sure yet, see our wide selection of both boy names and girl names all over the world to find the ideal name for your new born baby. We offer a comprehensive and meaningful list of popular names and cool names along with the name's origin, meaning, pronunciation, popularity and additional information.
Do your research and choose a name wisely, kindly and selflessly.
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Vanessa
