Baby names
Vanessa
Definition
This is a name invented by Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) for a poem called Cadenus and Vanessa (1726), in which he declines the offer of marriage made to him by a young woman called Esther Vanhomrigh, Cadenus being an anagram of decanus, the Latin for his rank of Dean, and Vanessa a play on elements of her name. Ness, Nessa and Nessie are common short forms. The name Vanessa received a boost in the 1980s in the Americas with the successful telenovella Vanessa starring the very popular Lucia Mendes. The name is also popular in Austria, but not currently a common choice in the UK Vanessa Paradis is a popular French singer and actress.
Sex
Girls
Similar names
Naming Your Baby
Copyright © 2007 Julia Cresswell
