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Vaness

♀ Girl

Pronounced vuh-NESS /vəˈnɛs/Medium

Meaning: Vaness is a shortened form of Vanessa, the name the writer Jonathan Swift invented for his friend Esther Vanhomrigh by joining Van- from her surname to Essa, a pet form of Esther. Trimming the final -a leaves this leaner variant, which keeps Vanessa's literary story.Low

In 30 seconds: Vaness is a clipped Vanessa, the name coined by Jonathan Swift (said vuh-NESS).

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningVaness is a shortened form of Vanessa, the name the writer Jonathan Swift invented for his friend Esther Vanhomrigh by joining Van- from her surname to Essa, a pet form of Esther. Trimming the final -a leaves this leaner variant, which keeps Vanessa's literary story.

U.S. rank (2003)#18295 ↘ Falling

2003 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1988

Total births (all-time)≈ 288

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Vaness is a trimmed form of Vanessa, a name with an unusually precise birth: Jonathan Swift coined Vanessa for Esther Vanhomrigh, fusing Van- from her surname with Essa from Esther. Dropping the last vowel gives this shorter variant, used by parents who liked the sound in a leaner shape.

It was always rare, a couple dozen girls a year around the late nineteen-eighties. It reads as an unusual clip of a well-loved name rather than a common choice.

Did you know? Vaness carries a surprising origin through Vanessa, a name that did not exist until Jonathan Swift built it from a friend's name in the early eighteenth century.

Overall data confidence 40%

References - Vaness — Clipped form of Vanessa (coined by Jonathan Swift)

Variations

VanessaVenessaVanesa

Nicknames

VanNessa

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Vaness…

Vanessa— the full name it clips

Tess— a like short, breathy girl's name

Janessa— a same-family -nessa name

Denise— a same-era two-beat girl's name

Explore names like Vaness

By themevariant literary feminine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Vaness mean?

It's a clipped form of Vanessa, a name the writer Jonathan Swift coined from a friend's name.

How do you pronounce Vaness?

It's said vuh-NESS /vəˈnɛs/, two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Vaness a boy or girl name?

Vaness is used as a girl's name.

Is Vaness a popular name?

No, it was always rare, an unusual short form of the popular Vanessa.