Essence means the intrinsic nature of a thing — from the Latin essentia (being/existence). Essence is the most fundamental philosophical word — what something IS at its core. Essence magazine is the most important publication for Black women. The name carries the most philosophical word compressed into a name: what you are when everything else is stripped away.
Essence comes from the Latin essentia meaning the intrinsic nature of a thing. Essence magazine is the most important publication for Black women. The word describes what something is at its absolute core.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: English philosophical word; Essence magazine (1970).
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Today
Essence remains a beloved choice, ranking #1327 in the US. 10,554 babies have been named Essence since 1973.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Essence?
1998peak year
Essence first appears in the U.S. registration record in 1973. Its popularity climbed over the following decades. In 1998, 565 babies received the name (ranked #457). Today it sits well outside the top 1,000 (around #1327), with roughly 182 babies named Essence each year. Essence has been trending upward in recent years. In total, around 10,554 babies have been registered with this name since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Essence's Life Path 7 is the seeker's number — intrinsic-nature seeking. People named Essence tend to be profound, fundamental, and gifted at being what remains when everything else is stripped away.
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