Total births
10,744
Girls' name · since 1973
Essence
Since 1973, U.S. Social Security records show 10,744 babies named Essence, peaking in 1998. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1085
- among girls today
- 10,744
- born since 1973
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 94%
- more common than other girls
Essence currently ranks #1085 among girls' names in America, with 10,744 babies recorded since 1973.
Social Security Administration records show Essence recorded 10,744 times among girls since 1973, holding rank #1085 nationally today, ahead of 94% of girls, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1973 to 2025.
- #1085 among girls today
- 10,744 born since 1973
- 1990s peak decade
- 94% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Essence is currently the #1085 girls' name in America, more common than 94% of girls - 10,744 born since 1973, peaking in the 1990s.
- #1085
- among girls today
- 10,744
- born since 1973
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 94%
- more common than other girls
Essence vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1085
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 94% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Essence was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
565 babies were named Essence in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
How Essence compares
10,744 Top 9% higher than 91% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Essence's all-time total is 28x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Essence | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 10,744 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 565 | 48 | 19,840 |
Essence's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Essence's SSA record in two at 1999 and the more recent half accounts for 63% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 37%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1973, with only 8 births recorded -- set against the 1998 peak of 565, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Essence at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1998
Current rank
#1,085
Active since
1973
Essence popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1973–2025
- Peak year (1998)
- 565
- Annual births at peak, across 53 years of records
Essence popularity over time - boys
17 total births recorded since 2021 (Essence as boys' name)
Essence by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Essence's strongest decade.
3,531 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Essence births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 182
1970s
182 births
- 1980s 816
1980s
816 births
- 1990s
1990s
3,531 births
- 2000s
2000s
3,095 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,852 births
- 2020s 1,268
2020s
1,268 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 3,531 births (33% of all-time use).
How Essence compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Essence's total volume
Essence vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Essence by state
Where Essence concentrates geographically, total births since 1973
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 979 | 9.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 717 | 6.7% |
| #3 | California | | 701 | 6.5% |
| #4 | Florida | | 583 | 5.4% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 581 | 5.4% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 545 | 5.1% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 472 | 4.4% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 399 | 3.7% |
New York share of Essence's total US births 9.1%
Even split
979 of 10,744 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 34 reporting states.
Essence appears in 34 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Essence? ▼
Since 1973, Social Security records show 10,744 babies named Essence. Today it holds rank #1085 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1998, with 565 births.
When was Essence most popular? ▼
Essence was most popular in the 1990s decade with 3,531 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Essence most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Essence are New York (979 births), Texas (717 births), California (701 births).
How long has the name Essence been used? ▼
Essence has been recorded in Social Security data since 1973, spanning 53 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Essence? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Essie, Essynce, Essa, Essica, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Essence's data
- Essence's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (3,531 total births) through the 2020s (1,268) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Essences (979 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Essence
Nearby Names Like Essence
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Essence
Essie Girl
#2722 39,682 births
Essynce Girl
#10674 280 births
Essa Girl
#12186 226 births
Essica Girl
189 births
Essance Girl
170 births
Compare Essence side by side: Essence vs Essie Essence vs Essynce Essence vs Essa
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Essence
Miah #1084
9,583 births · Peak 2012
Claudia #1086
128,318 births · Peak 1952
Kya #1083
6,372 births · Peak 2004
Corinne #1087
49,877 births · Peak 1978
Aubrielle #1082
5,158 births · Peak 2017
Angelique #1088
30,164 births · Peak 1970
Araya #1081
4,188 births · Peak 2022
Rubi #1089
9,051 births · Peak 2005
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1973–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Essence: #1085 Girls' Name - 10,744 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/essence. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Essence draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.