Vanessa (name)
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Vanessa is a female name. Origin: Greek Meaning: Butterfly. Also, from Phanessa, the mystic goddess of an ancient Greek brotherhood. Variants of the name: Vanesa, Vannessa, and Phanessa. Vania is a diminuitve for Vanessa.
The name was invented by Irish writer Jonathan Swift and given to Esther Vanhomrigh, whom Swift had met in 1708 and whom he tutored. The name was created by taking "Van" from Vanhomrigh's last name and adding "Esse", the pet form of Esther.
In 1726 the name Vanessa appeared in print for the first time in Cadenus and Vanessa, an autobiographical poem about Swift's relationship with Vanhomrigh. The poem had been written in 1713 by Swift himself, but was not published until three years after Vanhomrigh died.