Pronunciation
Ness-a
Meaning
Not gentle, according to the traditional story explaining her name
Fun fact
I love the story behind Nessa. In one legend, she begins as a gentle girl called Assa, but becomes fierce after her family is killed. People call her not gentle, and the story explains how that became Nessa.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Nessa, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | #239 |
| 2024 | 13 | #307 |
| 2023 | 18 | #226 |
| 2022 | 16 | #266 |
| 2021 | 21 | #221 |
| 2020 | 15 | #275 |
| 2019 | 22 | #221 |
| 2018 | 25 | #200 |
| 2017 | 24 | #211 |
| 2016 | 17 | #273 |
| 2015 | 29 | #192 |
| 2014 | 28 | #188 |
| 2013 | 21 | #246 |
| 2012 | 20 | #250 |
| 2011 | 20 | #258 |
| 2010 | 18 | #293 |
| 2009 | 20 | #254 |
| 2008 | 24 | #230 |
| 2007 | 13 | #326 |
| 2006 | 17 | #247 |
| 2005 | 14 | #263 |
| 2004 | 7 | #414 |
| 2003 | 8 | #362 |
| 2002 | 14 | #254 |
| 2001 | 12 | #266 |
| 2000 | 10 | #284 |
| 1999 | 7 | #322 |
| 1998 | 4 | #425 |
| 1997 | 10 | #304 |
| 1996 | 6 | #393 |
| 1995 | 11 | #283 |
| 1994 | 7 | #350 |
| 1993 | 5 | #415 |
| 1992 | 8 | #338 |
| 1991 | 5 | #423 |
| 1990 | 12 | #268 |
| 1989 | 3 | #503 |
| 1988 | 6 | #381 |
| 1987 | 5 | #417 |
| 1986 | 16 | #240 |
| 1985 | 14 | #254 |
| 1984 | 7 | #365 |
| 1983 | 19 | #232 |
| 1982 | 12 | #300 |
| 1981 | 14 | #272 |
| 1980 | 17 | #258 |
| 1979 | 14 | #286 |
| 1978 | 16 | #253 |
| 1977 | 10 | #311 |
| 1976 | 29 | #191 |
| 1975 | 56 | #127 |
| 1974 | 29 | #192 |
| 1973 | 19 | #232 |
| 1972 | 6 | #352 |
| 1971 | 9 | #289 |
| 1970 | 12 | #243 |
| 1969 | 6 | #322 |
| 1968 | 9 | #258 |
| 1967 | 6 | #288 |
| 1966 | 5 | #310 |
| 1965 | 6 | #282 |
| 1964 | 5 | #300 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.