Janessa
Girl name · #1740 in 2025 · Uniqueness 81/100
In 2025, 117 baby girls were named Janessa, placing it at #1740 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #716, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,385 girls born in 2025 was named Janessa.
Babies named Janessa per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 71-year story
Janessa first appears in the Social Security records in 1954, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2009, when 556 girls were named Janessa — good for #545 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Janessa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Janessa in class?
Janessa scores 81 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Janessa will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Janessa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Janessa is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Janessas were CA (18), TX (14), PA (9), FL (7), IN (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Janessa
Statistically, parents drawn to Janessa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Julissa, Jessa, Anessa, Larissa, and Brissa.
JulissaJessaAnessaLarissaBrissaAlissaElyssaArissa
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Janessa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 117 | #1733 |
| 2024 | 135 | #1568 |
| 2023 | 166 | #1356 |
| 2022 | 206 | #1172 |
| 2021 | 209 | #1169 |
| 2020 | 208 | #1140 |
| 2019 | 227 | #1094 |
| 2018 | 272 | #971 |
| 2017 | 303 | #890 |
| 2016 | 313 | #894 |
| 2015 | 397 | #716 |
| 2014 | 368 | #761 |
| 2013 | 407 | #695 |
| 2012 | 426 | #663 |
| 2011 | 451 | #630 |
| 2010 | 527 | #554 |
| 2009 | 556 | #545 |
| 2008 | 536 | #574 |
| 2007 | 547 | #557 |
| 2006 | 488 | #596 |
| 2005 | 488 | #583 |
| 2004 | 544 | #524 |
| 2003 | 465 | #590 |
| 2002 | 390 | #647 |
| 2001 | 352 | #703 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Janessa a popular girl name?
Janessa ranked #1740 among girls in 2025 with 117 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #716.
When was the name Janessa most popular?
Janessa peaked in 2009, when 556 American girls received the name (ranked #545 that year). Since 2009 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Janessa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,385 newborn American girls was named Janessa. It scores 81/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.