If you're looking for a well-established girls' name with literary associations and a subtle nature meaning, Vanessa might be perfect.
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Though coined by the Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift already in the eighteenth century, the name Vanessa only took off in the U.S. in the second part of the twentieth century, reaching its peak in the 1980s. Today, Vanessa is no longer a style star, but make no mistake, it still has plenty of appeal thanks to its literary/poetic association (Swift used the name in his a poem Cadenus and Vanessa), its butterfly meaning (Vanessa is a genus of butterflies), and its cross-cultural appeal.
Even though Vanessa's roots are Anglo-Irish, the name and its variants are also well-established in Latin America, Germany and Italy. Recently, it has also been making waves on Finland's baby name charts for girls.
There's more to your perfect baby name than just the formal name you ink on your baby's birth certificate—so let's talk about what you could call your Vanessa for short. Right off the bat, there's the nickname Nessa. Or, if you prefer something even shorter, how about just Ness?
Not exactly crazy about Nessa, and Ness doesn't appeal, either? Vanna, Vani, and even Van are also possibilities you might consider.
What's your take on middle names? Do you think having one is important? Given that you didn't skip this section, you probably do, and you're not alone. While there's no law that says you have to give your baby a middle name, virtually everyone has one, and skipping the middle moniker might seem like an odd move.
So, how do you find a great middle name for Vanessa? Though not a hard-and-fast rule by any means, you may want steer clear of middle names that start with "A", the last letter in Vanessa. Why? Because two identical (or similar) sounds adjacent to each other can easily make a name combo sound like one long run-on name. For example, Vanessa Ann might sound more like Vanessann.
Another tip is to combine names that balance each other out. In practice, this usually means combining names of contrasting length and avoiding pairing up names with repeating ending sounds. Vanessa has three syllables, so a single-syllable middle name could work beautifully. If you like common and classic middle names, pairings such as Vanessa Grace, Vanessa Lynn, Vanessa Mae, Vanessa Leigh, Vanessa Rose, Vanessa Rae, and Vanessa Jean might be options to consider.
Beyond phonetic considerations, think about whether you want to give your little Vanessa a middle name with a special meaning. If you like the idea of a meaningful middle name, you'll have plenty of possibilities. Here are some questions that might help you find that perfect middle name for your little princess: Is there an elderly family member you might want to honor with your middle name choice? Or would you rather pay homage to your family's cultural heritage by filling the middle spot with a name with ethnic significance?
Or perhaps you love the idea of filling the middle spot with a place name? The city where you and your partner first met, a far-flung country you both adore, or even a local park that has personal significance could be a potential middle name for Vanessa.
Famous real-life Vanessas include the High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens, TV personality Vanessa Lachey, philanthropist Vanessa Bryant, actress and former Miss America Vanessa Williams, British actress Vanessa Kirby, and French star Vanessa Paradis.
Do you love the sound, literary associations, cross-cultural potential and butterfly meaning of Vanessa? If you've decided Vanessa is the perfect name for your daughter, it's time to add a little personal touch to your baby girl's nursery!
Here at Names and Nursery, not only do we try to help you find the perfect name for your baby girl or boy, but we also provide personalized baby name signs and wall art for the nursery.
For the name Vanessa, we're thrilled to offer you an exclusive, personalized butterfly printable based on an original, hand-painted watercolor painting. The best part? You can download it for free here—no sign up required!
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