Origin of the name Vanessa:
An invention of satirist Jonathan Swift (1667 - 1745), Vanessa is a partial anagram of the name of his intimate friend Esther Vanhomrigh. Swift used the name in his Cadenus and Vanessa, which led to its use as a female given name.
From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman. Buy the bookDoes Vanessa sound...
Sibling Names for Vanessa...
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Reader Contributions
Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Vanessa!
- Comments and insights on the name Vanessa: | Edit
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- Personal experiences with the name Vanessa: | Edit
People constantly want to spell the name with two N's and one S or with an E instead of an A.
I like my name. You don't hear it that often, and I think it sounds pretty.
- Nicknames for Vanessa: | Edit
Ness, Nessa, Nessi, Sasa, Sa, Vanny, Van, Vanna, Vanne
- Meanings and history of the name Vanessa: | Edit
The name Vanessa was invented by Irish writer Jonathan Swift for Esther Vanhomrigh. The name was created by taking "Van" from Vanhomrigh's last name and adding "Essa", the pet form of Esther.
Greek- butterfly
- Famous real-life people named Vanessa: | Edit
Vanessa Redgrave, actress
Vanessa Williams, singer and actress
Vanessa Downing, actress
Vanessa Carlton, singer
Vanessa Hudgens, actress/singer
Vanessa Minnillo
Vanessa Bell, Bloomsbury artist- Vanessa in song, story & screen: | Edit
Vanessa Huxtable, middle child on 1980s television show "The Cosby Show"
NameVoyager US Popularity of Vanessa Over Time
NameMapper Current Popularity of Vanessa by State
Global Popularity of the Name Vanessa
- #15 in Austria
- #47 in Germany
- #76 in United States
- #93 in Canada (British Columbia)
- #120 in Canada (Alberta)
- #147 in Canada (Quebec)
- #208 in Norway
- #300 in Scotland
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