Inessa
Of Greek origin, meaning "praised" or "praised one".
Name Census estimates that about 634 living Americans carry the first name Inessa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Inessa today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Inessa births was 2005 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Inessa. 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
634
~ 1 in 540,622 Americans
Peak year
2005
36 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,225
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Inessa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Inessa from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 229 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Inessa remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Inessa 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 Inessa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Inessas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Inessa
The name Inessa has its origins in the Greek language and can be traced back to ancient times. It is believed to be a feminine form of the Greek name Ines, which itself is a variation of the name Agnes. The name Agnes is derived from the Greek word "hagnos," meaning "pure" or "chaste."
In the early days of Christianity, the name Agnes was particularly popular among Greek and Roman Christians. It was often given to young girls as a symbol of their purity and devotion to their faith. The name Inessa emerged as a Slavic variation of Agnes, likely influenced by the Greek roots of the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Inessa can be found in the Russian Orthodox Church records from the 16th century. During this period, the name became increasingly popular among Russian nobility and aristocracy, who often looked to Greek and Byzantine traditions for inspiration.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Inessa. One of the earliest recorded examples is Inessa Armand (1874-1920), a Russian revolutionary and close associate of Vladimir Lenin. She played a significant role in the Bolshevik Revolution and was instrumental in promoting women's rights and gender equality.
Another prominent figure was Inessa Kozlovskaya (1923-2008), a Soviet and Russian actress who appeared in numerous films and theater productions. She was awarded the prestigious title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1983, recognizing her contributions to the performing arts.
In the field of literature, Inessa Sergeyevna Armand (1909-1958) was a renowned Soviet writer and translator. She is best known for her translations of works by William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and other English authors into Russian.
Inessa Fedorovskaya (1928-2011) was a celebrated Russian ballerina and choreographer. She performed with the Bolshoi Ballet and later became a renowned teacher, passing on her knowledge and skills to future generations of dancers.
Finally, Inessa Tverdokhlebova (born 1939) is a former Soviet gymnast who competed in the 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics. She won multiple gold medals and is considered one of the most successful gymnasts in Soviet history.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Inessa throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of their respective eras.
People
Inessa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Inessa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Inessa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Inessa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 634 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Inessa 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 540,622 US residents.
Is Inessa a common name?
We classify Inessa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 643 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Inessa most popular?
The single biggest year for Inessa was 2005, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Inessa is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Inessa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Inessa 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.