Vanessa (name) name became more and more popular and was the 7th most popular name for girls in the 1990s. In the following years its popularity dropped and the name is ranked in 42nd place for the decade 2000–2009. Vanessa (name) Vanessa is a feminine given name, especially popular in the United States, Germany and Brazil. It was invented by the Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift for Esther Vanhomrigh, whom Swift had met in 1708 and whom he tutored. The name was created by taking "Van" from Vanhomrigh's last name and adding "Essa", a pet form of Esther. In 1726 the name Vanessa
I Have A Name Project I Have A Name Project The I Have A Name Project, "IHAN," strives to raise awareness about homelessness and empathy for the homeless. The project has displayed photos of homeless people in exhibits and has been influential and popular on social media. In 2007, Jon Linton—a photographer based out of Phoenix, Arizona—began a project to document homelessness in Phoenix to create awareness and bring about change. While working on the project, Linton walked around Phoenix. He came across a man who was holding a sign that said he was Vietnam War Veteran, Chuck Ridgeway, and Linton asked him his name.