Meaning: Its source is a Greek expression meaning "Butterflies."

Variant Forms: Vena

Popularity: The name Venessa ranked 1375th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.

Narrative: Some authorities claim it was invented by 18th century English writer Jonathan Swift as a pseudonym for Esther Vanhomrigh, based on the first syllable of her last name, and possibly the Latin verb esse, meaning ''to be.''

Swift described his love for her in his poem Cadenus and Vanessa.

In Japanese, some of the characters that represent this sound can be translated to mean innocent