Vanessa, derived from the Latin word 'vanesia', meaning "breeze of the sea", is a female given name that gained prominence during the Victorian era. It was popularized through Lord Byron's epic poem "Don Juan". The name Vanessa has been used in various cultures and languages around the world, including Italian (Vanessa), Spanish (Vanesa), Portuguese (Vanessa), French (Vanessa), German (Vanessa), Dutch (Vanessa), Danish (Vanessa), Swedish (Vanessa), Norwegian (Vanessa), Finnish (Vanessa), Polish (Wanessa), Czech (Vaneša), Hungarian (Vanessza), and Romanian (Vanesa). The name Vanessa is often associated with beauty, elegance, and grace. It has been ranked among the top 1000 most popular names for females in several countries over the years.
"Vanessa was a popular name from the mid-20th century onwards, peaking around the late 1970s to early 1980s with over 50 births per year. However, its popularity declined significantly after the mid-1980s, with fewer than 30 births annually since then."