Alysia
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "rational" or "rational one".
Name Census estimates that about 8,987 living Americans carry the first name Alysia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Alysia today is around 34 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Alysia births was 1989 (386 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Alysia. 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
9.0K
~ 1 in 38,139 Americans
Peak year
1989
386 babies that year
Average age
34
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,762
Tracked since 1950
Popularity
Alysia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Alysia from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 2,785 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
Alysia 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 Alysia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Alysias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 39 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Alysia, while New Hampshire, Mississippi, Idaho recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 161 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Alysia
The name Alysia has its roots in the Greek language, originating from the word "alysia," which means "wandering" or "roaming." This name was popular among the ancient Greeks, particularly in the regions of Attica and the Ionian Islands, where it was often given to children born to families with a nomadic or seafaring lifestyle.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alysia can be found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who mentions a woman by this name in his accounts of the Greco-Persian Wars in the 5th century BC. Additionally, the name appears in several ancient inscriptions and manuscripts from the classical period, suggesting its widespread use among the Greek population.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Alysia. One of the most famous was Alysia of Thessalonica, a Byzantine philosopher and scholar who lived in the 5th century AD. She was renowned for her contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy, and her writings on the subjects were widely studied in the Byzantine Empire.
Another notable Alysia was Alysia of Corinth, a renowned poet and dramatist who lived in the 3rd century BC. Her plays, which explored themes of love, betrayal, and the human condition, were widely performed throughout the Greek world and were highly influential in the development of ancient Greek theater.
In the realm of literature, Alysia of Alexandria was a celebrated writer and scholar who lived in the 2nd century AD. She is best known for her comprehensive work on the history and culture of ancient Egypt, which served as a valuable reference for generations of scholars and historians.
During the Renaissance period, Alysia Gonzaga (1549-1624) was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her patronage of artists such as Titian and her significant contributions to the cultural life of Renaissance Italy.
In more recent times, Alysia Reiner (born 1970) is an American actress and producer, best known for her roles in the television series "Orange Is the New Black" and "Better Things." She has received critical acclaim for her performances and has been recognized for her work in promoting diversity and representation in the entertainment industry.
People
Alysia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Alysia 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
Alysia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Alysia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8,987 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Alysia 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 38,139 US residents.
Is Alysia a common name?
We classify Alysia as "Rare". It ranks above 97.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9,470 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Alysia most popular?
The single biggest year for Alysia was 1989, when 386 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Alysia is about 34 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Alysia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Alysia 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.