Vanessa

#377 for girls in 2025, 813 births · Last seen for boys in 2014 at #12,108
Given to girls 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1988 · 7,516 births
Debut · girls
6 births
In top 100 · girls
33 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
261,622
since 1900

Vanessa over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201956peak #41, 1988girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#377813—
2024#334938—
2023#3041,014—
2022#3111,026—
2021#2531,226—
2020#2091,384—
2019#2711,224—
2018#2311,378—
2017#2031,521—
2016#1971,664—
2015#1871,729—
2014#1711,927#12,1085
2013#1522,095#9,6557
2012#1232,554—
2011#1202,620#10,8086
2010#1072,888#10,7666
2009#913,523—
2008#784,032#11,0376
2007#714,447#8,9158
2006#794,169#10,6626
2005#804,095#8,2998
2004#754,350#7,5369
2003#704,352#9,5816
2002#684,455#10,6675
2001#644,672#7,5368
2000#625,134#5,58812
1999#575,287#6,04210
1998#525,830#4,87313
1997#545,796#3,45520
1996#605,746#3,83017
1995#635,404#3,85416
1994#595,552#3,59618
1993#555,890#2,45530
1992#556,080#2,41230
1991#565,926#2,46928
1990#566,409#2,21432
1989#506,962#1,53753
1988#417,516#1,18972
1987#437,348#1,53446
1986#437,469#1,51144
1985#427,563#1,54442
1984#457,156#1,45843
1983#486,388#1,19058
1982#496,154#1,27853
1981#624,749#2,13824
1980#694,426#2,36721
1979#754,102#2,66917
1978#763,853#3,21512
1977#903,209#2,79115
1976#1062,463#3,47110
1975#1152,440#2,75114
1974#1222,353#3,5589
1973#1342,144#3,22310
1972#1332,280#3,3449
1971#1292,657#3,14610
1970#1382,576#4,7245
1969#1472,234#3,9356
1968#1811,797#4,1365
1967#1701,869#3,5596
1966#1971,643#2,9868
1965#2031,632#3,5376
1964#1832,056#3,0508
1963#1882,032—
1962#1752,244#3,3057
1961#1532,765#2,9009
1960#1542,711#3,0778
1959#1393,120#2,20014
1958#1482,744#2,64210
1957#1592,379#3,0248
1956#1452,617—
1955#1402,698#3,2017
1954#1422,643#2,7439
1953#1632,007—
1952#303695—
1951#656176—
1950#93791—
1949#1,07070—
1948#1,05769—
1947#1,17059—
1946#2,59714—
1945#1,94119—
1944#2,51113—
1943#3,04010—
1942#2,21416—
1941#2,66811—
1940#2,20314—
1939#3,4297—
1938#2,11315—
1937#1,91417—
1936#1,69120—
1935#1,26432—
1934——
1933#3,4067—
1932#3,0479—
1931#3,4977—
1930#2,84510—
1929#4,5705—
1928#4,1956—
1927#4,8055—
1926——
1925#3,3629—
1924——
1923#3,3509—
1922#4,4456—
1921#5,0995—
1920#4,3986—
1919#4,2516—
1918——
1917#4,0836—
1916#3,2588—
1915#2,68810—
1914——
1913#3,1875—
1912——
1911——
1910——
1909——
1908——
1907——
1906——
1905——
1904——
1903——
1902——
1901——
1900#1,7236—
1899——
1898——
1897——
1896——
1895——
1894——
1893——
1892——
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First appearance
1900

The first year at least five girls were named Vanessa! It came in at #1,723, and was given to 6 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1901–1914, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Vanessa is popular in 1956

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Vanessa, so not publishedAKMaine: #164 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 807 girlsMEVermont: #147 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 694 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #177 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,072 girlsNHWashington: #308 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,386 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Vanessa, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Vanessa, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: #205 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,122 girlsNDMinnesota: #366 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 4,119 girlsMNIllinois: #117 for girls · 206 births · 1 in 509 girlsILWisconsin: #443 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 6,996 girlsWIMichigan: #156 for girls · 107 births · 1 in 878 girlsMINew York: #192 for girls · 151 births · 1 in 1,091 girlsNYMassachusetts: #231 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,469 girlsMARhode Island: #137 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 840 girlsRIOregon: #254 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,613 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Vanessa, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Vanessa, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #246 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,493 girlsSDIowa: #261 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 2,176 girlsIAIndiana: #142 for girls · 71 births · 1 in 711 girlsINOhio: #151 for girls · 136 births · 1 in 789 girlsOHPennsylvania: #143 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 724 girlsPANew Jersey: #156 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 861 girlsNJConnecticut: #165 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 981 girlsCTCalifornia: #253 for girls · 100 births · 1 in 1,564 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Vanessa, so not publishedUTColorado: #265 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,704 girlsCONebraska: #283 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,066 girlsNEMissouri: #157 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 829 girlsMOKentucky: #128 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 658 girlsKYWest Virginia: #94 for girls · 49 births · 1 in 406 girlsWVVirginia: #85 for girls · 122 births · 1 in 339 girlsVAMaryland: #83 for girls · 89 births · 1 in 331 girlsMDDelaware: #107 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 445 girlsDEArizona: #274 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,435 girlsAZNew Mexico: #248 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,220 girlsNMKansas: #189 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,050 girlsKSArkansas: #117 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 609 girlsARTennessee: #85 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 417 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #68 for girls · 181 births · 1 in 286 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #96 for girls · 67 births · 1 in 432 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #121 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 501 girlsDCOklahoma: #129 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 587 girlsOKLouisiana: #84 for girls · 109 births · 1 in 361 girlsLAMississippi: #171 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 837 girlsMSAlabama: #88 for girls · 86 births · 1 in 426 girlsALGeorgia: #89 for girls · 116 births · 1 in 403 girlsGAHawaii: #98 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 331 girlsHITexas: #165 for girls · 149 births · 1 in 771 girlsTXFlorida: #108 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 467 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. North Carolina#68 · 1 in 286
  2. Maryland#83 · 1 in 331
  3. Louisiana#84 · 1 in 361
  4. Virginia#85 · 1 in 339
  5. Tennessee#85 · 1 in 417

Best ever in a state: #7 in New Mexico, 1985.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
North Carolina#681811 in 286
Maryland#83891 in 331
Louisiana#841091 in 361
Tennessee#85921 in 417
Virginia#851221 in 339
Alabama#88861 in 426
Georgia#891161 in 403
West Virginia#94491 in 406
South Carolina#96671 in 432
Hawaii#98191 in 331
Delaware#107101 in 445
Florida#108921 in 467
Arkansas#117311 in 609
Illinois#1172061 in 509
District of Columbia#121271 in 501
Kentucky#128511 in 658
Oklahoma#129381 in 587
Rhode Island#137101 in 840
Indiana#142711 in 711
Pennsylvania#1431601 in 724
Vermont#14751 in 694
Ohio#1511361 in 789
Michigan#1561071 in 878
New Jersey#156641 in 861
Missouri#157541 in 829
Maine#164121 in 807
Connecticut#165241 in 981
Texas#1651491 in 771
Mississippi#171321 in 837
New Hampshire#17751 in 1,072
Kansas#189211 in 1,050
New York#1921511 in 1,091
North Dakota#20561 in 1,122
Massachusetts#231211 in 2,469
South Dakota#24651 in 1,493
New Mexico#24891 in 1,220
California#2531001 in 1,564
Oregon#254101 in 1,613
Iowa#261131 in 2,176
Colorado#265111 in 1,704
Arizona#27491 in 1,435
Nebraska#28371 in 2,066
Washington#308121 in 2,386
Minnesota#36691 in 4,119
Wisconsin#44361 in 6,996
Alaska———
Idaho———
Montana———
Nevada———
Utah———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Vanessa
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 43 spots since 2024 (#334 → #377)
  • 168 spots since 2020 (#209 → #377)
  • 190 spots since 2015 (#187 → #377)
  • Biggest jump: 353 spots in 1952 (#656 → #303)
  • Biggest drop: 58 spots in 2022 (#253 → #311)
Rise & fade · girls
88 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1900
  • Peaked 1988 at #41 (7,516 births)
  • Births halved by 2009, 21 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 33 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 33 yrs · run 1977–2009
  • Top 1,000: 76 yrs · run 1950–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 228
  • Highest: 1 in 228 girls born in 1985 were named Vanessa (0.44%)
  • Latest: 1 in 1,977 girls born in 2025 (0.05%)
  • Its best rank, #41 in 1988, was only 1 in 237 (0.42%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1980s
  • 25.1% of all girls named Vanessa (65,731) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1900s6#1,723 (1900)#1,723
1910s35#2,688 (1915)#3,493
1920s51#3,350 (1923)#4,278
1930s124#1,264 (1935)#2,578
1940s295#1,057 (1948)#2,047
1950s19,170#139 (1959)#293
1960s20,983#147 (1969)#175
1970s28,077#75 (1979)#112
1980s65,731#41 (1988)#49
1990s57,920#52 (1998)#57
2000s43,229#62 (2000)#74
2010s19,600#107 (2010)#176
2020s6,401#209 (2020)#298

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Vanessa in 1956

girls
#145
2,617 births · 1 in 767 girls

Top girls' names in 1956

  1. #1Mary61,741
  2. #2Debra48,324
  3. #3Linda48,084
  4. #4Deborah47,834
  5. #5Susan46,558
  6. #6Patricia43,329
  7. #7Karen40,052
  8. #8Cynthia32,339
  9. #9Barbara32,302
  10. #10Donna29,852
  11. #145Vanessa2,617
More about 1956

girls

2,007,703 girls got a published name in 1956; 1 in 767 of them was named Vanessa, which outranked 97.9% of the 6,891 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Vanessa
  1. #142Melinda2,713
  2. #143Melanie2,691
  3. #144Becky2,688
  4. #145Vanessa2,617
  5. #146Vicky2,611
  6. #147Doreen2,574
  7. #148Vivian2,560
Biggest movers since 1955
Risers
  1. ↑ 993Sheena#1,839 → #846
  2. ↑ 770Glendora#1,733 → #963
  3. ↑ 684Leesa#1,209 → #525
  4. ↑ 543Marisa#1,074 → #531
  5. ↑ 537Dani#1,383 → #846
Fallers
  1. ↓ 513Sheilah#663 → #1,176
  2. ↓ 481Jeryl#768 → #1,249
  3. ↓ 344Jacalyn#496 → #840
  4. ↓ 325Roni#536 → #861
  5. ↓ 314Florine#984 → #1,298

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1956 →