Girl name · Greek
Agnes
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: pure, chasteAgnes is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "pure, chaste". It is used in English, German, Scandinavian, Scottish and French.
- Meaning
- Pure, chaste
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #1016 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Agnes
As a girl's name, Agnes comes from Greek and means "pure, chaste". It is used in English, German, Scandinavian, Scottish and French. In French it is spelled Agnès.
In French, say ahn-YESS. In German, say AHG-nes. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Agnes on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Agnes on 10 lists.
“Pure, chaste; Greek. Say ahn-YESS”
From French girl names, french saints' names for girls
“Grand, gentle and a bit stern”
From Porch goose names, vintage and classic porch goose names
“Pure, chaste; Greek. Say AHG-nes”
From German girl names, german forms of classic names
“A gentle vintage name from the Greek for pure”
From Female cat names, vintage girl cat names
“Greek for pure, a sensible grandma classic”
From Girl dog names, vintage human names for girl dogs
“Pure, chaste; Greek. Vintage revival”
From Girl middle names, unique girl middle names
“Pure, chaste; Greek. One of the commonest names in medieval England”
From Medieval names and surnames, medieval female names from England and France
“Greek for pure; the countess who held Dunbar Castle against a siege.”
From Scottish girl names, scottish girl names from history
“A sensible grandmother name for a steady starter”
From Sourdough starter names, old-fashioned names for a sourdough starter
“Pure, chaste; Greek. Aggie for short; rising, but still outside the top 1,000”
From Vintage girl names, old fashioned girl names from the 1900s to 1920s
How popular is Agnes?
- US rank in 2025
- #1,016
- 246 babies, 153 per million girls
- Best rank
- #37 in 1899
- Most babies: 5,291 in 1918
- Babies since 1880
- At least 159,517
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 5,513 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 6,495 per million |
| 1900s | 6,017 per million |
| 1910s | 4,813 per million |
| 1920s | 3,281 per million |
| 1930s | 1,691 per million |
| 1940s | 657 per million |
| 1950s | 291 per million |
| 1960s | 149 per million |
| 1970s | 59 per million |
| 1980s | 43 per million |
| 1990s | 35 per million |
| 2000s | 34 per million |
| 2010s | 94 per million |
| 2020s | 137 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,103 | #1,208 | #1,199 | #1,125 | #1,247 | #1,138 | #1,095 | #1,081 | #1,061 | #1,016 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Agnes
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Nestatraditional short form (Welsh)
Other forms of Agnes
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- AgnesePure, chaste (Greek, girl)
- AignéisPure, chaste (Greek, girl)
- InesPure, chaste (Greek, girl)
- InezPure, chaste (Greek, girl)
- NessiePure, chaste (Greek, girl)
Names spelled like Agnes
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- CatalinaSpanish form of Katherine, later linked to Greek pure (Greek, girl)
- AgnieszkaChaste, pure (Greek, girl)
- AgniyaChaste (Greek, girl)
- AnahitaImmaculate, pure (Persian, girl)
- AyselPure moon (Turkish, girl)
- CândidoWhite, pure (Latin, boy)
- CastoPure, chaste (Latin, boy)
- FeivelBright, pure (Yiddish, boy)
- GlenysPure, holy (Welsh, girl)
- InessaChaste, pure (Greek, girl)
Middle names for Agnes
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
Agnes: common questions
What does the name Agnes mean?
Agnes comes from Greek and means "pure, chaste".
Is Agnes a boy or girl name?
Agnes is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Agnes?
Common nicknames for Agnes include Nesta.
How popular is the name Agnes?
Agnes ranked #1,016 in the US in 2025, with 246 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Agnes?
Forms of Agnes with the same meaning and origin include Agnese (Italian), Aignéis (Irish), Ines (Italian), Inez (English) and Nessie (English).
What middle names go with Agnes?
Middle names that flow well with Agnes include Crystal, Daphne, Elise, Heather and Marigold. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.