Essence is an established girls' name that peaked in 1998 and has grown less common since.
Essence is predominantly a girl name. In 2025 it ranked #1,165 among girls (199) and #11,078 among boys (6) — overall #2,172 across all names. The charts below show girls and boys separately.
| Year | U.S. births | U.S. + territories | ♀ Rank | ♂ Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 205 | 205 | #1,165 | #11,078 |
| 2024 | 234 | 234 | #1,085 | #11,342 |
| 2023 | 250 | 250 | #1,013 | — |
| 2022 | 256 | 256 | #1,015 | — |
| 2021 | 154 | 154 | #1,444 | #12,717 |
| 2020 | 186 | 186 | #1,228 | — |
| 2019 | 149 | 149 | #1,479 | — |
| 2018 | 155 | 155 | #1,429 | — |
| 2017 | 148 | 148 | #1,498 | — |
| 2016 | 136 | 136 | #1,616 | — |
| 2015 | 157 | 157 | #1,465 | — |
| 2014 | 189 | 189 | #1,272 | — |
| 2013 | 201 | 201 | #1,195 | — |
| 2012 | 225 | 225 | #1,099 | — |
| 2011 | 245 | 245 | #1,019 | — |
| 2010 | 247 | 247 | #1,016 | — |
| 2009 | 263 | 263 | #1,006 | — |
| 2008 | 274 | 274 | #979 | — |
| 2007 | 287 | 287 | #944 | — |
| 2006 | 320 | 320 | #838 | — |
| 2005 | 268 | 268 | #928 | — |
| 2004 | 308 | 308 | #814 | — |
| 2003 | 333 | 333 | #750 | — |
| 2002 | 273 | 273 | #846 | — |
| 2001 | 322 | 322 | #741 | — |
| 2000 | 447 | 447 | #583 | — |
| 1999 | 529 | 529 | #492 | — |
| 1998 | 565 | 565 | #457 | — |
| 1997 | 440 | — | #542 | — |
| 1996 | 431 | — | #543 | — |
| 1995 | 502 | — | #490 | — |
| 1994 | 262 | — | #776 | — |
| 1993 | 245 | — | #817 | — |
| 1992 | 226 | — | #877 | — |
| 1991 | 193 | — | #974 | — |
| 1990 | 138 | — | #1,220 | — |
| 1989 | 109 | — | #1,386 | — |
| 1988 | 102 | — | #1,386 | — |
| 1987 | 95 | — | #1,405 | — |
| 1986 | 91 | — | #1,409 | — |
| 1985 | 67 | — | #1,715 | — |
| 1984 | 80 | — | #1,449 | — |
| 1983 | 104 | — | #1,221 | — |
| 1982 | 72 | — | #1,610 | — |
| 1981 | 49 | — | #2,091 | — |
| 1980 | 47 | — | #2,163 | — |
| 1979 | 52 | — | #1,982 | — |
| 1978 | 38 | — | #2,357 | — |
| 1977 | 25 | — | #3,104 | — |
| 1976 | 23 | — | #3,118 | — |
| 1975 | 18 | — | #3,674 | — |
| 1974 | 18 | — | #3,593 | — |
| 1973 | 8 | — | #6,247 | — |