Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Essa isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1885. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Essa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 986
- 760 boys · 226 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 71 babies
- 2025
- 61
- #2,581 for boys · #9,656 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +15%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 80% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 51 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,581 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 13.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 10 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California, Illinois, Texas and 1 other areas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 910 as a first name in 2020; 1,072 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Essa’s family of names
In Greek usage, Essa as a surname is a transliteration of Έσσα.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Essa
- Essa Al-ZenkawiKuwaiti discus throwerborn 1992
- Essa Ismail RashedKenyan-born long distance runner for Qatarborn 1986
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Essa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Asa
“doctor, healer” · “born in the morning”
89% boys · 11% girls
Ezra
“help” · “one who is helpful”
95% boys · 5% girls
Ocean
“sea”
56% boys · 44% girls
Alijah
Alijah is a masculine given name.
94% boys · 6% girls
Eliam
“the God of my nation”
>99% boys
Emmett
“a universal man”
99% boys · 1% girls
Elio
Elio is a masculine given name from Ancient Greek. It is used in Spanish and Italian.
>99% boys
Ellis
“Jehovah is my God” · “noble”
73% boys · 27% girls