Essa
Boy name · #2589 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Essa? In official American birth records, Essa has been tracked continuously since 1978, giving it 47 years of documented American history.
Essa is currently the #2589 boy name in the United States — 51 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3365, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 35,294 boys born in 2025 was named Essa.
Babies named Essa per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 47-year story
Essa first appears in the Social Security records in 1978, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 57 babies and a rank of #2438. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Essa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Essa in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Essa is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Essa will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Essa is most common
State-level data for Essa is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Essa
Statistically, parents drawn to Essa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Issa, Esa, Eesa, Moussa, and Mousa.
IssaEsaEesaMoussaMousaEliabSoraLipa
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Essa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | #2572 |
| 2024 | 39 | #3104 |
| 2023 | 48 | #2693 |
| 2022 | 57 | #2438 |
| 2021 | 35 | #3297 |
| 2020 | 34 | #3274 |
| 2019 | 54 | #2464 |
| 2018 | 35 | #3240 |
| 2017 | 45 | #2715 |
| 2016 | 35 | #3230 |
| 2015 | 33 | #3365 |
| 2014 | 21 | #4538 |
| 2013 | 24 | #4064 |
| 2012 | 21 | #4533 |
| 2011 | 22 | #4356 |
| 2010 | 15 | #5741 |
| 2009 | 23 | #4278 |
| 2008 | 15 | #5767 |
| 2007 | 6 | #10921 |
| 2006 | 8 | #8732 |
| 2005 | 8 | #8299 |
| 2004 | 15 | #5246 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6258 |
| 2002 | 11 | #6088 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Essa?
In official American birth records, the name Essa first appeared in 1978 (over 47 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 47 years.
Is Essa a popular boy name?
Essa ranked #2589 among boys in 2025 with 51 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3365.
When was the name Essa most popular?
Essa peaked in 2022, when 57 American boys received the name (ranked #2438 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Essa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 35,294 newborn American boys was named Essa. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.