Vanessa
Literary creation from 'Van' (Vanhomrigh) and 'Essa' (pet form of Esther) (English)
Vanessa is a english / other girl name in the Philippines. In the civil registry as of May 2021 it is number 121, with 54,346 records. It has 3 syllables.
Origin and meaning
Literary creation from 'Van' (Vanhomrigh) and 'Essa' (pet form of Esther) (English)
Vanessa was created by Jonathan Swift in the early 18th century and later adopted as a zoological genus name for butterflies. In the Philippines, it arrived primarily through American English influence and media during the mid-to-late 20th century, becoming a widely recognized and favored feminine name.
Invented by Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift in his 1726 poem 'Cadenus and Vanessa' as an anagram/pseudonym for his lover Esther Vanhomrigh. It became popular throughout the English-speaking world in the 20th century and was subsequently adopted into the Philippine naming pool.
Name character
In the Philippines
Commonly shortened to Van, Nessa, or Nes in casual Filipino conversation. It is often given as a standalone name or paired in modern double-barrel combinations.
Would your family give Vanessa?
Mark it if your family would give this first name. The count is for 2026 on this site. It is not the civil registry, and it is not babies registered in 2024. One browser can choose a name once in the year.
No family on this site has marked Vanessa for 2026 yet.
Vanessa with common surname pairs
Each pair is a mother's maiden surname plus a father's surname. The number is the sound-fit score for this first name.
Related girl names
About the name Vanessa
How do I use Vanessa with two Filipino surnames?
Vanessa is the given name. The full name is Vanessa + mother's maiden surname + father's surname. Score a pair from a combination page or the homepage search.
Is Vanessa a common girl name in the Philippines?
In the civil registry as of May 2021, Vanessa is number 121, with 54,346 records. That is not the 2024 birth list, and it does not say the name is a better choice. How it sounds with both family surnames is a separate score.