Alissa
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "truth" or "honest".
Name Census estimates that about 36,822 living Americans carry the first name Alissa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Alissa today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alissa births was 1998 (1,231 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alissa. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
37K
~ 1 in 9,308 Americans
Peak year
1998
1,231 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
1989 SSA rank
#1,553
Tracked since 1948
Gender
Gender distribution for Alissa
Out of the 38,521 babies given the name Alissa since 1880, 99.9% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Alissa as a male name
- Ranked #6,969 in 1989
- 6 male births in 1989
- Peak: 1978 (7 births)
Alissa as a female name
- Ranked #1,553 in 2024
- 136 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1998 (1,231 births)
Popularity
Alissa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alissa from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 10,803 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alissa by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Alissa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Alissas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 51 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Alissa, while Vermont, District of Columbia, Delaware recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 703 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Alissa
The name Alissa has its origins in the Greek language and culture, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek word "alyssos," meaning "rational" or "wise." The name has been in use for centuries, with variations in spelling and pronunciation across different regions and time periods.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alissa can be found in Greek mythology. In the epic poem "The Odyssey" by Homer, Alissa is mentioned as the daughter of Dymas and the wife of Polyctor. This reference suggests that the name was in use during the 8th century BC, when the poem is believed to have been composed.
During the Byzantine era, the name Alissa gained popularity among Greek-speaking populations in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Several notable figures from this period bore the name, including Saint Alissa of Thessalonica, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD.
In the Middle Ages, the name Alissa spread to various parts of Europe, particularly in regions with strong Greek cultural influences. One notable figure from this time was Alissa of Outremer, a French noblewoman and crusader who participated in the Sixth Crusade in the 13th century.
The Renaissance period saw the name Alissa continue to be used across Europe. One notable example is Alissa Galvani, an Italian scientist and philosopher from the 18th century, who made significant contributions to the study of electricity and the understanding of animal electricity.
In the 19th century, the name Alissa gained popularity in Russia, where it was often spelled as "Alyssa." One notable figure from this era was Alyssa Dolgorukaya, a Russian princess and philanthropist who founded several charitable organizations and schools.
Throughout history, the name Alissa has been associated with wisdom, rationality, and intelligence. Its Greek roots have lent it a sense of timeless elegance and cultural significance, making it a popular choice for parents seeking a name with a rich heritage and meaningful connotations.
People
Alissa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alissa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Alissa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alissa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 36,822 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alissa going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 9,308 US residents.
Is Alissa a common name?
We classify Alissa as "Uncommon". It ranks above 99% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 38,521 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alissa most popular?
The single biggest year for Alissa was 1998, when 1,231 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alissa is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Alissa a female name?
Yes, 99.9% of people registered as Alissa in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.