Ness
How to say it: NESS · /ˈnɛs/
Short form of Vanessa or Agnes - also Hebrew nes meaning 'miracle' - evokes Loch Ness in Scotland.
Ness was the 9,997th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 8 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.6-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #9,302 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #9,997 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 8 |
| Share of births | 1 in 414,417 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.6 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #9,302 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,735 among girls’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Ness is a newcomer: almost all of its history is from the last forty years.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Ness is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Hebrew, Irish.
In France: #1,735 for girls in 2025.
Keep exploring
About as popular as Ness
Find names you'll both love, starting with Ness
The one-minute style quiz.