Contessa
An Italian feminine name meaning "countess" from the Latin "comes".
Name Census estimates that about 1,918 living Americans carry the first name Contessa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Contessa today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Contessa births was 1983 (130 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Contessa. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.9K
~ 1 in 178,704 Americans
Peak year
1983
130 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
2023 SSA rank
#8,146
Tracked since 1957
Popularity
Contessa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Contessa from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 632 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Contessa by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Contessa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Contessas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. Texas, Georgia, California recorded the most babies named Contessa, while Washington, Tennessee, South Carolina recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 22 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Contessa
The name Contessa originates from the Italian language and culture. It is derived from the Italian word "contessa," which means "countess." This title was used to refer to a noble woman who held the rank of a count or earl in the feudal system of medieval Europe.
The earliest known use of the name Contessa can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was used to refer to the wives of Italian noblemen. During this time, it was common for Italian noble families to use titles as part of their names, and Contessa became a popular choice for daughters born into these families.
One of the most famous historical figures with the name Contessa was Contessa Beatrice d'Este (1191-1245), who was the Countess of Ferrara and Modena in northern Italy. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of the Franciscan order.
Another notable Contessa was Contessa Maria Vittoria Delfini (1556-1634), an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts who was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of Renaissance Rome.
In the 18th century, the name Contessa was popularized by Contessa Maria Antonia Walpurgis of Bavaria (1724-1780), an influential composer and patron of the arts who was a member of the Bavarian royal family.
Contessa Lilian Venetia Stanley (1833-1923), an English aristocrat and philanthropist, was also a prominent figure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was known for her work in promoting education and social welfare.
One of the most famous Contessas of the 20th century was Contessa Margherita Sarfatti (1880-1961), an Italian art critic and writer who was a close friend and confidante of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Contessa, reflecting its long-standing association with nobility and cultural prominence, particularly in Italy.
People
Contessa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Contessa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Contessa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Contessa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,918 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Contessa going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 178,704 US residents.
Is Contessa a common name?
We classify Contessa as "Rare". It ranks above 93.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,040 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Contessa most popular?
The single biggest year for Contessa was 1983, when 130 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Contessa is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Contessa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Contessa in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.