Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Nesta is a variant of Nessa. An origin associated with Nessa is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1928. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nesta through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 207
- 108 boys · 99 girls
- Most popular year
- 2018
- 17 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −68%
- Cooling
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 11 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 411 as a first name in 2020; 458 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.
Nesta’s family of names
Nesta has a related form in Nessa. Nesta is a version of Nest. In Greek usage, Nesta as a surname is a transliteration of Νέστα.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Nesta
- Nesta CarterJamaican sprinterborn 1985
- Nesta Helen WebsterBritish far-right author (1876–1960)
- Nesta CooperCanadian actressborn 1993
- Nesta DaviesBritish figure skaterborn 2000
- Nesta RugumayoUgandan physician; member of the Bugandan royal family
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nesta, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Remy
“woman from the town of Rheims” · “man from the town of Rheims”
61% boys · 39% girls
Leighton
“from the town near the meadow”
26% boys · 74% girls
Remington
“from the town of the raven's family”
65% boys · 35% girls
Finley
“a fair-haired hero”
46% boys · 54% girls
Reign
Reign is a masculine given name.
33% boys · 67% girls
Lennox
“one who owns many elm trees”
71% boys · 29% girls
Sevyn
“the seventh-born child” · “refers to the number; the seventh-born child”
37% boys · 63% girls
Lennon
“daughter of love” · “son of love”
26% boys · 74% girls