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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201990peak #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——
1891——
1890——
1889——
1888——
1887——
1886——
1885——
1884——
1883——
1882——
1881——
1880——
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 1990

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #76 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 264 girlsAKMaine: #97 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 352 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Vanessa, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #102 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 414 girlsNHWashington: #97 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 448 girlsWAIdaho: #58 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 223 girlsIDMontana: #89 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 332 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #105 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 444 girlsNDMinnesota: #133 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 681 girlsMNIllinois: #53 for girls · 310 births · 1 in 253 girlsILWisconsin: #97 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 473 girlsWIMichigan: #119 for girls · 106 births · 1 in 589 girlsMINew York: #51 for girls · 452 births · 1 in 270 girlsNYMassachusetts: #66 for girls · 148 births · 1 in 262 girlsMARhode Island: #50 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 191 girlsRIOregon: #99 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 430 girlsORNevada: #54 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 216 girlsNVWyoming: #85 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 281 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #107 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 408 girlsSDIowa: #127 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 639 girlsIAIndiana: #110 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 533 girlsINOhio: #133 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 788 girlsOHPennsylvania: #98 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 454 girlsPANew Jersey: #58 for girls · 183 births · 1 in 262 girlsNJConnecticut: #72 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 298 girlsCTCalifornia: #14 for girls · 2,229 births · 1 in 118 girlsCAUtah: #77 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 315 girlsUTColorado: #52 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 226 girlsCONebraska: #105 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 459 girlsNEMissouri: #136 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 764 girlsMOKentucky: #121 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 644 girlsKYWest Virginia: #147 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 676 girlsWVVirginia: #112 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 581 girlsVAMaryland: #140 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 746 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Vanessa, so not publishedDEArizona: #17 for girls · 222 births · 1 in 118 girlsAZNew Mexico: #12 for girls · 98 births · 1 in 95 girlsNMKansas: #76 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 310 girlsKSArkansas: #104 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 468 girlsARTennessee: #135 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 736 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #160 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 908 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #187 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,054 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #96 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 357 girlsDCOklahoma: #112 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 499 girlsOKLouisiana: #215 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,209 girlsLAMississippi: #234 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,252 girlsMSAlabama: #164 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 899 girlsALGeorgia: #125 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 656 girlsGAHawaii: #47 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 227 girlsHITexas: #31 for girls · 786 births · 1 in 175 girlsTXFlorida: #39 for girls · 371 births · 1 in 213 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. New Mexico#12 · 1 in 95
  2. California#14 · 1 in 118
  3. Arizona#17 · 1 in 118
  4. Texas#31 · 1 in 175
  5. Florida#39 · 1 in 213

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New Mexico#12981 in 95
California#142,2291 in 118
Arizona#172221 in 118
Texas#317861 in 175
Florida#393711 in 213
Hawaii#47241 in 227
Rhode Island#50291 in 191
New York#514521 in 270
Colorado#52921 in 226
Illinois#533101 in 253
Nevada#54321 in 216
Idaho#58241 in 223
New Jersey#581831 in 262
Massachusetts#661481 in 262
Connecticut#72641 in 298
Alaska#76131 in 264
Kansas#76451 in 310
Utah#77431 in 315
Wyoming#8561 in 281
Montana#89101 in 332
District of Columbia#96131 in 357
Maine#97181 in 352
Washington#97691 in 448
Wisconsin#97621 in 473
Pennsylvania#981601 in 454
Oregon#99391 in 430
New Hampshire#102161 in 414
Arkansas#104271 in 468
Nebraska#105201 in 459
North Dakota#10581 in 444
South Dakota#10791 in 408
Indiana#110661 in 533
Oklahoma#112351 in 499
Virginia#112651 in 581
Michigan#1191061 in 589
Kentucky#121331 in 644
Georgia#125651 in 656
Iowa#127251 in 639
Minnesota#133411 in 681
Ohio#133901 in 788
Tennessee#135411 in 736
Missouri#136431 in 764
Maryland#140381 in 746
West Virginia#147131 in 676
North Carolina#160451 in 908
Alabama#164251 in 899
South Carolina#187191 in 1,054
Louisiana#215211 in 1,209
Mississippi#234111 in 1,252
Delaware———
Vermont———

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 1990

girls
#56
6,409 births · 1 in 296 girls
boys
#2,214
32 births · 1 in 64,189 boys

Top girls' names in 1990

  1. #1Jessica46,486
  2. #2Ashley45,561
  3. #3Brittany36,536
  4. #4Amanda34,413
  5. #5Samantha25,868
  6. #6Sarah25,824
  7. #7Stephanie24,864
  8. #8Jennifer22,236
  9. #9Elizabeth20,750
  10. #10Lauren20,506
  11. #56Vanessa6,409

Top boys' names in 1990

  1. #1Michael65,321
  2. #2Christopher52,362
  3. #3Matthew44,826
  4. #4Joshua43,237
  5. #5Daniel33,830
  6. #6David33,748
  7. #7Andrew33,673
  8. #8James32,359
  9. #9Justin30,649
  10. #10Joseph30,137
  11. #2,214Vanessa32
More about 1990

girls

1,898,547 girls got a published name in 1990; 1 in 296 of them was named Vanessa, which outranked 99.6% of the 15,234 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Vanessa
  1. #53Katie6,514
  2. #54Alicia6,511
  3. #55Jamie6,509
  4. #56Vanessa6,409
  5. #57Kathryn6,353
  6. #58Morgan6,047
  7. #59Jordan5,957
Biggest movers since 1989
Risers
  1. ↑ 5,592Alannah#6,531 → #939
  2. ↑ 1,178Symone#1,998 → #820
  3. ↑ 869Shelbi#1,750 → #881
  4. ↑ 831Latifah#1,532 → #701
  5. ↑ 828Skyler#1,564 → #736
Fallers
  1. ↓ 2,554Elizabet#524 → #3,078
  2. ↓ 1,572Katherin#717 → #2,289
  3. ↓ 652Stephani#390 → #1,042
  4. ↓ 504Ashanti#893 → #1,397
  5. ↓ 416Audrianna#759 → #1,175

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

boys

2,054,038 boys got a published name in 1990; 1 in 64,189 of them was named Vanessa, which outranked 76.7% of the 9,493 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 19.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Vanessa
  1. #2,170Tristin33
  2. #2,170Vivek33
  3. #2,170Ward33
  4. #2,214Vanessa32
  5. #2,214Adarius32
  6. #2,214Antron32
  7. #2,214Antwuan32
  8. #2,255Alejandra31
  9. #2,255Alexandros31
  10. #2,255Allyn31

Tied with 40 names at #2,214; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1989
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,636Tevin#4,017 → #381
  2. ↑ 3,283Keenen#4,271 → #988
  3. ↑ 1,325Male#2,027 → #702
  4. ↑ 1,032Denzel#1,476 → #444
  5. ↑ 598Kevon#1,476 → #878
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,130Kiara#956 → #2,086
  2. ↓ 916Rachel#993 → #1,909
  3. ↓ 855Nicole#985 → #1,840
  4. ↓ 746Tiffany#956 → #1,702
  5. ↓ 681Sarah#819 → #1,500

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

See the top 100 for 1990 →