Essence
The English word used as a given name, from the Latin essentia, meaning 'being' or the true nature of a thing.
Essence in 2025
Essence was given to 205 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 2,172nd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 16,172 babies born.
The history of Essence
Essence reached its highest point in 1998, when 565 babies were given the name, ranking 867th that year.
Across the 53 years of records since 1973, 10,761 babies have been named Essence. Half of them were born before 2002, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Essence by decade
| Decade | Babies named Essence | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 182 | 3,120 |
| 1980s | 816 | 2,019 |
| 1990s | 3,531 | 867 |
| 2000s | 3,095 | 1,084 |
| 2010s | 1,852 | 1,856 |
| 2020s | 1,285 | 1,897 |
Where Essence is heading
Essence has risen 31% over the past decade, from 157 babies in 2015 to 205 in 2025.
Names like Essence
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Essence.