Vanessa
Girl name · #377 in 2025 · Uniqueness 65/100
In 2025, 813 baby girls were named Vanessa, placing it at #377 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #187, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,214 girls born in 2025 was named Vanessa.
Babies named Vanessa per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 125-year story
Vanessa first appears in the Social Security records in 1900, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1985, when 7,563 girls were named Vanessa — good for #42 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 Vanessa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Vanessa in class?
Vanessa scores 65 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 Vanessa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Vanessa is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Vanessas were CA (116), TX (101), FL (73), NY (47), IL (38). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Vanessa
Statistically, parents drawn to Vanessa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Melissa, Clarissa, Alyssa, Veronica, and Alicia.
MelissaClarissaAlyssaVeronicaAliciaJoannaRebeccaJessica
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Vanessa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 813 | #377 |
| 2024 | 938 | #334 |
| 2023 | 1,014 | #304 |
| 2022 | 1,026 | #311 |
| 2021 | 1,226 | #253 |
| 2020 | 1,384 | #209 |
| 2019 | 1,224 | #271 |
| 2018 | 1,378 | #231 |
| 2017 | 1,521 | #203 |
| 2016 | 1,664 | #197 |
| 2015 | 1,729 | #187 |
| 2014 | 1,927 | #171 |
| 2013 | 2,095 | #152 |
| 2012 | 2,554 | #123 |
| 2011 | 2,620 | #120 |
| 2010 | 2,888 | #107 |
| 2009 | 3,523 | #91 |
| 2008 | 4,032 | #78 |
| 2007 | 4,447 | #71 |
| 2006 | 4,169 | #79 |
| 2005 | 4,095 | #80 |
| 2004 | 4,350 | #75 |
| 2003 | 4,352 | #70 |
| 2002 | 4,455 | #68 |
| 2001 | 4,672 | #64 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Vanessa a popular girl name?
Vanessa ranked #377 among girls in 2025 with 813 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #187.
When was the name Vanessa most popular?
Vanessa peaked in 1985, when 7,563 American girls received the name (ranked #42 that year). Since 1985 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Vanessa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,214 newborn American girls was named Vanessa. It scores 65/100 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.