US Popularity Rank: 647

Origin: British

Meaning: Butterfly

Vanessa is a girl’s name of British origin, meaning “butterfly.” This title was brought to life poetically in 1712 when Anglo-Irish author Jonathan Swift needed a name for a character in a poem he was writing. Inspired by his lover Esther Vanhomrigh, he took the first syllables of her last and given names and combined them to coin the name Vanessa. With such a creative conception behind her name, this little girl may too embrace her artistic side, letting her imagination soar. Vanessa is also the name of a species of butterfly, delicate and gentle just like baby.