Find out how popular the first name Ness has been for the last 20 years (from 2004 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Ness by gender

Based on the last 20 years of data, Ness is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 10 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Ness.

The history of the first name Ness

The name Ness is believed to have originated from the Old English word "ness," which means a headland or promontory. It was a common suffix used in place names, particularly in areas with coastlines or rivers. The earliest known use of the name dates back to the Anglo-Saxon era in Britain, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD.

In ancient texts and records, the name Ness was often associated with geographic features such as capes, peninsulas, or river mouths. For example, the town of Inverness in Scotland is derived from the Gaelic words "Inbhir Nis," meaning "mouth of the River Ness." Similarly, the Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands takes its name from the river that flows into it.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Ness was Nes, a Danish chieftain who lived in the late 10th century. He is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas as a powerful figure in the region of Halland, located in modern-day Sweden.

During the Middle Ages, the name Ness was relatively uncommon but did appear in various chronicles and records. One notable bearer was Ness de Berkhamsted, a 13th-century English landowner and nobleman mentioned in the Book of Fees, a survey of land ownership in England compiled in the early 13th century.

In the Renaissance period, the name gained some popularity, particularly in the Low Countries (present-day Netherlands and Belgium). One famous individual was Ness van Kortrijk, a Flemish artist and painter who lived from around 1460 to 1505. He is known for his religious paintings and altarpieces, some of which can still be found in churches and museums across Belgium and the Netherlands.

Another notable figure was Ness Hayton, an English explorer and writer who lived from 1564 to 1634. He is best known for his travels to the Middle East and his book "A Relation of a Voyage into the Levant," which provided valuable insights into the cultures and customs of the region at that time.

In more recent centuries, the name Ness has been less common but still appears occasionally. One example is Ness Wadia, an Indian businessman and industrialist born in 1970, who is part of the prominent Wadia family involved in various industries in India.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ness was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ness, please contact us.

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