Vanessa
Gender: Girl
Origin: Latin, literary name
Meaning: Butterfly
Popularity: #304
Vanessa Name Meaning and Origin
Vanessa is a girl’s name meaning “butterfly” and is of Latin, literary name origin. The name Vanessa originated as a literary creation. It was coined by the Irish author Jonathan Swift in the early 18th century for his poem “Cadenus and Vanessa.” Swift derived the name from the first three letters of the surname of his friend, Esther Vanhomrigh, whom he affectionately called “Vanessa” in the poem. Vanessa gained popularity as a given name after the publication of Swift’s poem, and it has remained in use ever since. It particularly surged in popularity in the mid-20th century and became a popular name in English-speaking countries. anessa has relatively few variations or nicknames. However, some diminutive or affectionate forms of the name include Vana, Vani, Vanna, and Nessa.
