Girl name · English
Vanessa
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: a name invented by the writer Jonathan SwiftVanessa is a girl's name that comes from English and means "a name invented by the writer Jonathan Swift". It is used in German.
- Meaning
- A name invented by the writer Jonathan Swift
- Origin
- English
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #377 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Vanessa
As a girl's name, Vanessa comes from English and means "a name invented by the writer Jonathan Swift". It is used in German.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
How popular is Vanessa?
- US rank in 2025
- #377
- 813 babies, 506 per million girls
- Best rank
- #41 in 1988
- Most babies: 7,563 in 1985
- Babies since 1900
- At least 261,622
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 2 per million |
| 1910s | 4 per million |
| 1920s | 4 per million |
| 1930s | 12 per million |
| 1940s | 20 per million |
| 1950s | 997 per million |
| 1960s | 1,149 per million |
| 1970s | 1,817 per million |
| 1980s | 3,827 per million |
| 1990s | 3,217 per million |
| 2000s | 2,340 per million |
| 2010s | 1,120 per million |
| 2020s | 658 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #197 | #203 | #231 | #272 | #209 | #253 | #311 | #304 | #335 | #377 |
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.
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Vanessa
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from English
- LilianaLatinate form of Lillian, probably from Elizabeth or Lily (English, girl)
- LilyLily flower (English, girl)
- SamanthaPerhaps a feminine form of Samuel with the suffix antha (English, girl)
- AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
- CataleyaFrom cattleya, an orchid named for William Cattley (English, girl)
- EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
- HeatherHeather plant (English, girl)
- LillyVariant of Lily, the flower (English, girl)
- AdairFrom a surname derived from Edgar (English, unisex)
- AddisonSon of Adam (English, girl)
- AmoraApparently a modern coinage based on Latin amor, love (English, girl)
- AutumnFall season (English, girl)
- BayA sheltered curve of coast (English, unisex)
- BriarThorny wild shrub (English, girl)
- BrynleeVariant of Brinley, a blend of Bryn and lee (English, girl)
- CallaCalla lily (English, girl)
- DarleneDarling (English, girl)
- DawnDaybreak (English, girl)
Vanessa: common questions
What does the name Vanessa mean?
Vanessa comes from English and means "a name invented by the writer Jonathan Swift".
Is Vanessa a boy or girl name?
Vanessa is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Vanessa come from?
Vanessa comes from English and means "a name invented by the writer Jonathan Swift". Today it is used in German.
How popular is the name Vanessa?
Vanessa ranked #377 in the US in 2025, with 813 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Vanessa?
Middle names that flow well with Vanessa include Agnes, Alice, Amber, Anne and Gemma. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.