Essa
Boy name · #2589 in 2025 · Uniqueness 59/100
Essa is currently the #2589 boy name in the United States — 51 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3365, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 35,294 boys born in 2025 was named Essa.
Babies named Essa per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 47-year story
Essa first appears in the Social Security records in 1978, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 57 babies and a rank of #2438. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Essa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Essa in class?
Essa scores 59 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Essa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Essa is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Essas were CA (6), IL (6), TX (6), VA (6), NY (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Essa
Statistically, parents drawn to Essa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Issa, Esa, Eesa, Moussa, and Mousa.
IssaEsaEesaMoussaMousaEliabSoraLipa
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Essa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | #2572 |
| 2024 | 39 | #3104 |
| 2023 | 48 | #2693 |
| 2022 | 57 | #2438 |
| 2021 | 35 | #3297 |
| 2020 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2019 | 54 | #2464 |
| 2018 | 35 | #3240 |
| 2017 | 45 | #2715 |
| 2016 | 35 | #3230 |
| 2015 | 33 | #3365 |
| 2014 | 21 | #4538 |
| 2013 | 24 | #4064 |
| 2012 | 21 | #4533 |
| 2011 | 22 | #4356 |
| 2010 | 15 | #5741 |
| 2009 | 23 | #4278 |
| 2008 | 15 | #5767 |
| 2007 | 6 | #10921 |
| 2006 | 8 | #8732 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8299 |
| 2004 | 15 | #5246 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6258 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6088 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Essa a popular boy name?
Essa ranked #2589 among boys in 2025 with 51 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3365.
When was the name Essa most popular?
Essa peaked in 2022, when 57 American boys received the name (ranked #2438 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Essa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 35,294 newborn American boys was named Essa. It scores 59/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.