US Popularity Rank: 16951

Origin: American

Meaning: Pure, holy

Lanessa is a girl’s name of American origin that combines the name Nessa with the prefix La. Nessa is an Irish name, once borne by the mother of Conchobar Mac Nessa, an ancient king of Ulster. It may also be a diminutive of the Greek name Agnes, meaning “pure,” or “holy.” Lanessa offers a less common alternative to Vanessa, a similar name coined in the early 1700s by Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift.