Total births
1,368
Girls' name · since 1935
Nessa
Nessa has 1,368 recorded births since 1935 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2016 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2864
- among girls today
- 1,368
- born since 1935
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other girls
Nessa currently ranks #2864 among girls' names in America, with 1,368 babies recorded since 1935.
Nessa has 1,368 recorded births among girls since 1935, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #2864 as of the latest data, more common than 84% of girls, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1935 to 2025.
- #2864 among girls today
- 1,368 born since 1935
- 2010s peak decade
- 84% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nessa is currently the #2864 girls' name in America, more common than 84% of girls - 1,368 born since 1935, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2864
- among girls today
- 1,368
- born since 1935
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other girls
Nessa vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#2864
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 84% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Nessa was born in this single decade.
2016
Single peak year
83 babies were named Nessa in 2016 - its busiest year on record.
How Nessa compares
1,368 Top 27% higher than 73% 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
Nessa's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nessa | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,368 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 83 | 48 | 19,840 |
Nessa's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nessa's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 78% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 22%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1935, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2016 peak of 83, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nessa at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2016
Current rank
#2,864
Active since
1935
Nessa popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1935–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 83
- Annual births at peak, across 91 years of records
Nessa by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Nessa's strongest decade.
458 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Nessa births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 11
1940s
11 births
- 1960s 12
1960s
12 births
- 1970s 73
1970s
73 births
- 1980s 105
1980s
105 births
- 1990s 139
1990s
139 births
- 2000s
2000s
225 births
- 2010s
2010s
458 births
- 2020s
2020s
340 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 458 births (33% of all-time use).
How Nessa 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 Nessa's total volume
Nessa vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Nessa by state
Where Nessa concentrates geographically, total births since 1935
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 96 | 7.0% |
| #2 | New York | | 58 | 4.2% |
| #3 | Texas | | 28 | 2.0% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 13 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Massachusetts | | 12 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Washington | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Wisconsin | | 6 | 0.4% |
California share of Nessa's total US births 7.0%
Even split
96 of 1,368 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Nessa appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nessa? ▼
Since 1935, Social Security records show 1,368 babies named Nessa. Today it holds rank #2864 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2016, with 83 births.
When was Nessa most popular? ▼
Nessa was most popular in the 2010s decade with 458 total births. The single peak year was 2016.
Where is Nessa most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nessa are California (96 births), New York (58 births), Texas (28 births).
How long has the name Nessa been used? ▼
Records for Nessa go back to 1935, giving 91 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Nessa? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nesha, Nesreen, Nesa, Nesta, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nessa's data
- Nessa's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (458 total births) through the 2020s (340) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Nessas (96 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Nessa
Nearby Names Like Nessa
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nessa
Nesha Girl
478 births
Nesreen Girl
194 births
Nesa Girl
101 births
Nesta Girl
#9035 99 births
Nessie Girl
#15380 97 births
Compare Nessa side by side: Nessa vs Nesha Nessa vs Nesreen Nessa vs Nesa
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nessa
Berlin #2863
1,796 births · Peak 2011
Luci #2865
2,865 births · Peak 2010
Jacklyn #2862
16,997 births · Peak 1987
Kaylyn #2866
12,053 births · Peak 1997
Adrian #2861
15,717 births · Peak 1983
Linley #2867
1,662 births · Peak 2021
Mabry #2860
1,315 births · Peak 2017
Desirae #2868
13,160 births · Peak 1993
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, 1935–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nessa: #2864 Girls' Name - 1,368 Births, Peak 2016." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nessa. 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 Nessa 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.