Essa
Essa is a name with a single cultural origin: Arabic.
- Arabic
Meaning & Origin of Essa
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Essa is a name with a single cultural origin: Arabic.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Arabic
The Story of Essa
As a girl name
American parents first put Essa on the record books as a girl name in 1885, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2017, when 15 Essas were born — ranking #7,438 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 34% of all recorded Essas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #9,043 among girl names with 9 births, gradually falling (-10%). In total, more than 235 Essas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Essa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1978, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2022: 57 births, good for #2,436 nationwide. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 38% of all recorded Essas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,782 among boy names with 46 births, rising sharply (+15% over the past five years). In total, more than 799 Essas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Essa
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Essa. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Essa
Phonetically similar names — useful when Essa is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Essa
What does the name Essa mean?
What is the origin of the name Essa?
How popular is Essa in 2026?
When was Essa most popular?
In which U.S. states is Essa most popular?
Is Essa a unisex name?
What names go well with Essa?
What are nicknames or variants of Essa?
About the name Essa
Essa is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1978 and has accumulated 799 births in the dataset. Essa's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #2,436. Use the chart and map above to compare Essa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.