The name Venessa is a variant of the name Vanessa, which has its origins in the late 16th century. It was first introduced in the poem "The Butterfly Basilisk" by Jonathan Swift in 1712. The name is derived from the Greek word "Phene," meaning "butterfly," and is linked to the mythological figure of a Cymothoe, an Oceanid nymph.

The earliest recorded usage of the name Vanessa can be traced back to the early 18th century. One of the first notable bearers of the name was Vanessa Bell, an English painter and interior designer, born in 1879 and died in 1961. She was a member of the Bloomsbury Group, a collective of English writers, intellectuals, and artists.

Another famous Vanessa from history is Vanessa Redgrave, the acclaimed English actress born in 1937. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. Her performances in films like "Isadora" and "Julia" have earned her critical acclaim.

In the world of literature, Vanessa Bell was the inspiration for the character of the same name in Virginia Woolf's novel "To the Lighthouse." Virginia Woolf, born in 1882 and died in 1941, was a pioneering modernist writer and a member of the Bloomsbury Group, along with her sister Vanessa Bell.

The name Vanessa also has a connection to the world of science. Vanessa Atalanta is the scientific name for the Red Admiral butterfly, a species found throughout Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. This connection to the butterfly further reinforces the name's origins.

Another notable figure with the name Vanessa is Vanessa Williams, the American actress, singer, and former Miss America. Born in 1963, she was the first African American woman to be crowned Miss America in 1983 but later resigned due to a controversy surrounding unauthorized nude photographs. She has since had a successful career in entertainment, appearing in numerous films and television shows.