Vanessa (name)
Encyclopedia
The name Vanessa was invented by the Anglo-Irish
writer
Jonathan Swift
for Esther Vanhomrigh
, whom Swift had met in 1708 and whom he tutored. The name was created by taking "Van" from Vanhomrigh's last name and adding "Essa", the pet form of Esther
. Swift may have also derived the name from the ancient mystic goddess Phanessa
. The name Vanessa can also find its origin in the 12th-century Anglo-Norman name Venisse, a local form of the name Veronica.
In 1726 the name Vanessa appeared in print for the first time in Cadenus and Vanessa, an autobiographical poem about Swift's relationship with Vanhomrigh. Swift had written the poem in 1713, but it was not published until three years after Vanhomrigh died.
Vanessa has been adopted later as the name of a genus of butterfly
by Johan Christian Fabricius
in 1807.
The name became popular in modern times following the success of actress Vanessa Redgrave
, Vanessa Paradis
, Vanessa Hudgens and Vanessa L. Williams
. Vanessa was the 71st most popular name for girls born in the United States
in 2007. It has been among the top 200 names for girls in the United States since 1953 and among the top 100 names for girls since 1977. It first appeared among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States in 1950, when it appeared on the list ranked in 939th place.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
for Esther Vanhomrigh
Esther Vanhomrigh
Esther Vanhomrigh , an Irish woman of Dutch descent, was a longtime lover and correspondent of Jonathan Swift. Swift's letters to her were published after her death...
, whom Swift had met in 1708 and whom he tutored. The name was created by taking "Van" from Vanhomrigh's last name and adding "Essa", the pet form of Esther
Esther (disambiguation)
Esther may refer to:People* Esther , the name* Esther is the heroine of Book of Esther, one of the books of the Hebrew Bible * Esther is the name adopted by the pop singer Madonna in 2004...
. Swift may have also derived the name from the ancient mystic goddess Phanessa
Phanes (mythology)
Phanes , or Protogonos , was the mystic primeval deity of procreation and the generation of new life, who was introduced into Greek mythology by the Orphic tradition; other names for this Classical Greek Orphic concept included Ericapaeus and Metis...
. The name Vanessa can also find its origin in the 12th-century Anglo-Norman name Venisse, a local form of the name Veronica.
In 1726 the name Vanessa appeared in print for the first time in Cadenus and Vanessa, an autobiographical poem about Swift's relationship with Vanhomrigh. Swift had written the poem in 1713, but it was not published until three years after Vanhomrigh died.
Vanessa has been adopted later as the name of a genus of butterfly
Vanessa (butterfly)
Vanessa is a genus of brush-footed butterflies. Many people are familiar with it, as it has a near-global distribution and includes conspicuous species such as the red admirals , the Kamehameha, and the painted ladies of subgenus Cynthia: Painted Lady, American Painted Lady, Australian Painted...
by Johan Christian Fabricius
Johan Christian Fabricius
Johan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...
in 1807.
The name became popular in modern times following the success of actress Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
, Vanessa Paradis
Vanessa Paradis
Vanessa Chantal Paradis is a French singer, model and actress. She became a child star at 14 with the worldwide success of her single "Joe le taxi"...
, Vanessa Hudgens and Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
. Vanessa was the 71st most popular name for girls born in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2007. It has been among the top 200 names for girls in the United States since 1953 and among the top 100 names for girls since 1977. It first appeared among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States in 1950, when it appeared on the list ranked in 939th place.