UK girl's name
Jenessa
Of English origin, meaning "small brown bear".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Jenessa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Jenessa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5730, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 8 births.
This profile covers 27 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1996 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 27 living people in the UK are called Jenessa. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Jenessa ranked #5730 for girls in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 8 girls were registered as Jenessa.
- • About 27 living people in the UK are estimated to have Jenessa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5730
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
8 births
Estimated living
27
2026
Meaning
What does Jenessa mean?
The name Jenessa is a variant of the biblical name Jenessa, which originated from the Hebrew name Yenessa, meaning "God beholds" or "God sees." This name has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture and can be traced back to the Old Testament of the Bible.
The earliest recorded use of the name Jenessa dates back to the 13th century in medieval Europe, where it was primarily used among Jewish communities. During this time, the name was spelled in various ways, including Yenessa, Jenesa, and Jenessa.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Jenessa was Jenessa ben Abraham, a 14th-century Jewish scholar and philosopher from Spain. She was known for her contributions to the study of Kabbalah and her commentary on the Torah.
In the 16th century, Jenessa Abravanel, a Jewish writer and philosopher from Portugal, gained recognition for her works on religious themes and her defense of Jewish culture and traditions during the time of the Inquisition.
During the Renaissance period, the name Jenessa became more widely used among non-Jewish communities, particularly in Italy and France. In the 17th century, Jenessa Gozzadini, an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, was known for her support of artists and writers in Bologna.
Another notable figure was Jenessa Mercier, a French writer and feminist who lived in the 18th century. She was an advocate for women's rights and education, and her works challenged the prevailing societal norms of her time.
In the 19th century, Jenessa Sidgwick, an English philosopher and educator, made significant contributions to the field of moral philosophy and was a pioneer in the promotion of higher education for women.
While the name Jenessa has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture, it has been adopted and used across various cultures and regions throughout history, attesting to its enduring appeal and versatility.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Jenessa over time
The chart below shows babies named Jenessa registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Jenessa, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jenessa by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Jenessa was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5730 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3893 | 8 | 2 |
| 1990s | #2851 | 16 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Jenessa
- Jessica 105,041
- Jasmine 35,227
- Jade 19,646
- Julia 11,780
- Jennifer 11,529
- Jodie 9,357
- Jemima 6,454
- Josephine 5,889
- Jessie 5,418
- Josie 5,284
- Jasmin 4,706
- Jenna 4,646
FAQ
Jenessa: questions and answers
How popular is the name Jenessa in the UK right now?
In 2015, Jenessa was ranked #5730 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Jenessa most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 8 babies registered as Jenessa in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Jenessa?
Of English origin, meaning "small brown bear".
How many people are called Jenessa in the UK?
A total of 27 babies have been registered as Jenessa across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.