Vanesa
Girl name · #4793 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Vanesa? In official American birth records, Vanesa has been tracked continuously since 1953, giving it 72 years of documented American history.
Vanesa ranks #4793 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 28 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3092, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 64,286 girls born in 2025 was named Vanesa.
The 72-year story
Vanesa first appears in the Social Security records in 1953, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2002, when 271 girls were named Vanesa — good for #850 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.
Babies named Vanesa per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Vanesa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Vanesa in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Vanesa is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Vanesa will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Vanesa is most common
State-level data for Vanesa 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 Vanesa
Statistically, parents drawn to Vanesa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Elyssa, Analisa, Anisha, Arissa, and Anessa.
ElyssaAnalisaAnishaArissaAnessaKiyanaRiannaBryana
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Vanesa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | #4758 |
| 2024 | 24 | #5300 |
| 2023 | 24 | #5248 |
| 2022 | 26 | #5028 |
| 2021 | 23 | #5398 |
| 2020 | 22 | #5487 |
| 2019 | 32 | #4343 |
| 2018 | 30 | #4562 |
| 2017 | 41 | #3697 |
| 2016 | 42 | #3656 |
| 2015 | 54 | #3092 |
| 2014 | 68 | #2582 |
| 2013 | 84 | #2211 |
| 2012 | 133 | #1624 |
| 2011 | 108 | #1857 |
| 2010 | 118 | #1751 |
| 2009 | 175 | #1358 |
| 2008 | 231 | #1117 |
| 2007 | 236 | #1100 |
| 2006 | 220 | #1126 |
| 2005 | 209 | #1125 |
| 2004 | 220 | #1050 |
| 2003 | 240 | #967 |
| 2002 | 271 | #850 |
| 2001 | 217 | #989 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Vanesa?
In official American birth records, the name Vanesa first appeared in 1953 (over 72 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 72 years.
Is Vanesa a popular girl name?
Vanesa ranked #4793 among girls in 2025 with 28 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3092.
When was the name Vanesa most popular?
Vanesa peaked in 2002, when 271 American girls received the name (ranked #850 that year). Since 2002 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Vanesa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 64,286 newborn American girls was named Vanesa. 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.