Girl · #1,621 in 2026

Janessa

Name: Popularity of the name Janessa in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Janessa, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#1,621

Peak Rank

#524 (2009)

Total Babies

15K

5-Yr Trend

-37%

1954

First Year

2026

Last Year

2009

Peak Year

#524

Peak Rank

15K

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Janessa

Janessa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1954, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2009, when 556 Janessas were born — ranking #545 that year. As of 2026, Janessa ranks #1,621 for baby girls with 128 births, falling sharply (-37%). In total, more than 15K Janessas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Janessa

Phonetically similar names — useful when Janessa is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Genesi
Jeunesse
Genesee
Ganesa
Genizah
Genous
Gynous
Janiece
Janetta
Genesia
Jeanice
Genetta

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Janessa

What does the name Janessa mean?

Janessa is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1954. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Janessa in 2026?

In 2026, Janessa ranks #1,621 among girls' names in the U.S., with 128 babies given the name that year.

When was Janessa most popular?

Janessa reached its peak popularity in 2009, ranking #524 that year with 556 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Janessa most popular?

Janessa has historically been most popular in Alaska, Utah, New Mexico. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Janessa.

Is Janessa a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Janessa is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Janessa?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Janessa include Evelina, Coretta, Elizabet. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Janessa

Janessa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1954 and has accumulated 15K births in the dataset. Janessa's peak popularity came in 2009 when it ranked #524. Use the chart and map above to compare Janessa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.