Pure; cinnamon; or a protector of the home
Kessa is a name with multiple potential roots, often cited as a Scandinavian diminutive of Katherine meaning 'pure' or a Russian variation of Ksenia. In some contexts, it is linked to the Hebrew word for the cinnamon spice, or used as a modern shortened form of names like Vanessa or Lakeisha.
Less common today
Kessa isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #6,304 in 1999.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
The protagonist and a young girl with magical abilities · The Kessa Trilogy by Steven Piziks
