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♀ Vanessa
What does Vanessa mean?
Vanessa 
▼ as a girls' name is pronounced va-NESS-ah. It is of Greek origin, and the meaning of Vanessa is "butterfly". The name of a genus of butterflies that includes the Red Admiral and the Painted Lady. Also possibly an early-18th-century literary name of English origin created by Jonathan Swift for "Gulliver's Travels" as a pseudonym for Esther Vanhomrigh, based on the first syllable of her surname, and possibly the Latin verb "esse", meaning "to be". Jenessa, Vanita and Vannaleigh are compound forms. See also Venetia. Actresses Vanessa Redgrave, Vanessa Williams; celebrity Vanna White.
ASSOCIATED WITH greek, red, lady (noble), 18th century, literary, surname, compound (blend), white
Variations
VARIANTS Jenessa, Nessa, Nessie, Nessy, Van, Vanassa, Vaneeta, Vanesa▼, Vanesha, Vaneshia, Vanesia, Vanesse, Vanessia, Vanetta, Vaneza, Vania, Vaniece, Vaniessa, Vanija, Vanisa, Vanissa, Vanita, Vanna, Vannaleigh, Vannesa, Vannessa, Vannetta, Vanneza, Vannie, Vanya, Varnessa, Venesa, Venesha, Venessa▼, Venesse, Venetta, Venessea, Veniesa, Venisha, Venishia, Venna, Vennesa, Vennessa, Vennisa, Vinesha, Vinessa, Vinisha, Vonessa, Vonesse, Vonnessa
RELATIONS VIA JENESSA, VANNA, VENETIA Gianessa, Janessa, Jinessa, Vana, Vanecia, Vanetia, Venecia, Venezia, Vinetia
CREATIVE FORMS(female)
(male)
MIDDLE NAME PAIRINGS
Vanessa Aleyna (V.A.), ..
How popular is Vanessa?
Vanessa is a very prominent first name for women (#195 out of 4276, Top 5%) but an uncommon surname for both adults and children. (2000 U.S. DEMOGRAPHICS)
Vanessa entered the list in 1940-1949 and reached its highest rank of #47 in the U.S. during 1980-1989, and is at #230 presently. (TOP 2000 NAMES, 2018)
Which version is better?
Prominent variation forms of Vanessa (#230 THE PREVIOUS YEAR) are Janessa (#978), Jenessa, Nissa, Van, Vanesa, Vania, Vanita, Vannessa, Vannie, Venessa and Venetia. Other variants, like Vanecia, are seldom used. These forms of Vanessa were at the top of their popularity during the years 1980-1989 (ADOPTION OF 0.42%) and are now significantly less widespread (ADOPTION 0.1%, 77% LESS).
Similar Names
Vanessa▼ is alike in pronunciation to Venusa. Other recommended sound-alike names are Agnessa, Anessa, Arnessa, Caressa, Danessa, Genessa, Inessa, Jalessa, Janeesa, Janess, Janesse, Janessia (see Janice), Janissa, Jannessa, Jonessa, Kanesha▼, Karessa, Katessa, Lanesha, Lanessa, Lynessa, Maressa, Ranessa, Shanessa, Tanesha▼ and Valeska. These names tend to be less commonly used than Vanessa.
See names in meaning and etymology.[Top]