Nessa

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Nessa: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Nessa: Recorded every year since 1964, it reached #127 in 1975, and it stood at #239 in 2025.

3registrars recorded it
78times a registrar ranked it
62years from first to last
#127highest recorded position
15groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Nessa's record

Ranked every year since 1964, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record

Region

Rising

among girls in England and Wales · 2007–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
2007	#5201
2012	#5876
2013	#4050
2014	#4003
2015	#2328
2016	#2547
2018	#5666
2020	#2163
2021	#3519
2022	#5669
2023	#2927
2024	#3695

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

RisingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Republic of Ireland in every year from 1964 to 2025.

In 2024: #307 among girls in Republic of Ireland, #337 among girls in Northern Ireland, #3695 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 3 national registrars across 3 regions, 1964–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #300 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #239 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Nessa appears in 3 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Girls, which has ranked it in 62 years beginning in 1964, and has registered 889 births with the name.

Nessa across 3 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Nessa's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#300 (1964)	#127 (1975)	#239 (2025)	62 of 62	889 (1964–2025)	56 (1975)
England and Wales · Girls	#5201 (2007)	#2163 (2020)	#3695 (2024)	12 of 18	75 (2007–2024)	12 (2020)
Northern Ireland · Girls	#440 (2013)	#337 (2024)	#337 (2024)	4 of 12	13 (2013–2024)	4 (2024)

Nessa by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Nessa in Republic of Ireland · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	37	6 of 10	6
1970s	200	10 of 10	20
1980s	113	10 of 10	11
1990s	75	10 of 10	8
2000s	139	10 of 10	14
2010sbusiest	224	10 of 10	22
2020s	101	6 of 10	17

Across Republic of Ireland · Girls, the 2010s were its busiest decade, averaging 22 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1974 and 1975, when recorded births rose by 27, from 29 to 56.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Nessa appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 3 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #127 in Republic of Ireland in 1975.

Nessa's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#3695	6	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#2927	8	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#5669	3	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#3519	6	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#2163	12	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#5666	3	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#2547	10	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#2328	11	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#4003	5	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#4050	5	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#5876	3	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#5201	3	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	female	#337	4	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	female	#397	3	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	female	#424	3	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	female	#440	3	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	female	#239	18	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	female	#307	13	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	female	#226	18	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	female	#266	16	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	female	#221	21	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	female	#275	15	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	female	#221	22	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	female	#200	25	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#211	24	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	female	#273	17	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	female	#192	29	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	female	#188	28	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#246	21	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#250	20	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#258	20	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#293	18	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#254	20	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	female	#230	24	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#326	13	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	female	#247	17	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#263	14	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#414	7	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#362	8	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	female	#254	14	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#266	12	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	female	#284	10	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#322	7	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#425	4	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	female	#304	10	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#393	6	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#283	11	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#350	7	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#415	5	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#338	8	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	female	#423	5	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#268	12	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#503	3	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#381	6	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#417	5	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#240	16	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#254	14	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#365	7	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#232	19	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#300	12	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#272	14	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#258	17	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#286	14	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#253	16	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#311	10	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#191	29	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	female	#127	56	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#192	29	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#232	19	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#352	6	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#289	9	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#243	12	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	female	#322	6	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	female	#258	9	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	female	#288	6	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	female	#310	5	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	female	#282	6	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	female	#300	5	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 3 registrars between 1964 and 2025, ranked in 62 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #127, first reached in 1975.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 56 births, registered in Republic of Ireland in 1975.

A second registrar first ranked it in 2007, and 49 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Neriyah · #2178, 11y
Nerys · #862, 28y
Nesta · #2341, 22y
Nestor · #2254, 15y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 3 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Ken · #126, 66y
Jarlath · #124, 62y
Malachy · #123, 59y
Pierce · #122, 61y

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1960 and 1969.

Aislinn · #126, 56y
Daren · #126, 39y
Keelin · #126, 52y
Siobhain · #128, 39y

Nessa was ranked #127 in Republic of Ireland · Girls in 1975. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Nessa and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Nessa without appearing here.

Nessa moved ahead of

Geraldine Compare
In 2019 they stood at #5666 and #5666 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #2163 and #5493.
Kristin Compare
In 2019 they stood at #5666 and #5666 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2020 that had become #2163 and #5493.
Cheryl Compare
In 2022 they stood at #5669 and #5669 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2023 that had become #2927 and #5687.
Donna Compare
In 2022 they stood at #5669 and #5669 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2023 that had become #2927 and #5687.

Moved ahead of Nessa

Fiadh Compare
In 2017 they stood at #2547 and #2757 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #5666 and #1436.
Rory Compare
In 2017 they stood at #2328 and #5730 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #5666 and #1977.
Noah Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2927 and #3218 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2024 that had become #3695 and #1743.
Arlo Compare
In 2020 they stood at #2163 and #2843 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2021 that had become #3519 and #1785.

Moved the opposite way to Nessa

Erin Compare
Between 1975 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nessa went from #127 to #239 while Erin went from #503 to #71.
Zara Compare
Between 1975 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nessa went from #127 to #239 while Zara went from #503 to #66.
Chelsea Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nessa went from #503 to #239 while Chelsea went from #408 to #608.
Courtney Compare
Between 1988 and 2023 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nessa went from #381 to #226 while Courtney went from #407 to #727.

Moved the same way as Nessa

Ellie Compare
Between 1987 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nessa went from #417 to #239 and Ellie from #488 to #15.
Freya Compare
Between 1987 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nessa went from #417 to #239 and Freya from #488 to #25.
Georgia Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nessa went from #503 to #239 and Georgia from #332 to #91.
Molly Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nessa went from #503 to #239 and Molly from #408 to #20.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 3 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #127 in Republic of Ireland in 1975. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Nessa

Nessa at a glance

What stands out in Nessa's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Nessa across 3 official records

Nessa by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Nessa appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Nessa

Nessa and the names beside it

Nessa moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Nessa

Moved the opposite way to Nessa

Moved the same way as Nessa

Nessa at a glance

What stands out in Nessa's record

Nessa across 3 official records

Nessa by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Nessa appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Nessa

Nessa and the names beside it

Nessa moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Nessa

Moved the opposite way to Nessa

Moved the same way as Nessa