Amarissa
Feminine variant of Amaryllis, derived from Greek meaning "to sparkle".
Name Census estimates that about 583 living Americans carry the first name Amarissa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Amarissa today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Amarissa births was 2007 (38 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Amarissa. 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
583
~ 1 in 587,915 Americans
Peak year
2007
38 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,385
Tracked since 1996
Popularity
Amarissa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Amarissa from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 229 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Amarissa remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Amarissa 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 Amarissa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Amarissas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Amarissa, while Florida, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 41 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Amarissa
The name Amarissa is a feminine name of Greek origin, derived from the Greek word "amarantos," meaning "unfading" or "everlasting." This name first emerged during the ancient Greek period and was initially associated with the amaranth flower, which was known for its resilience and long-lasting bloom.
The earliest recorded use of the name Amarissa can be traced back to ancient Greek literature, where it was mentioned in various texts as a name for women. However, it was not a widely popular name during that time and remained relatively uncommon until the modern era.
In ancient Greek mythology, there are references to the amaranth flower being associated with immortality and eternal life. This connection may have influenced the choice of the name Amarissa for some parents, as it symbolized a desire for their daughter to have a long and enduring life.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Amarissa. One of the earliest was Amarissa of Ephesus, a Greek philosopher who lived in the 4th century BC. She was known for her contributions to the study of ethics and moral philosophy.
Another prominent figure was Amarissa of Rhodes, a Greek sculptor from the 3rd century BC. Her work was highly regarded, and some of her sculptures adorned temples and public spaces in ancient Greece.
In the Renaissance period, Amarissa Borgia (1475-1511) was a member of the famous Borgia family in Italy. She was known for her intelligence and political acumen, serving as an advisor to her brother, Cesare Borgia.
During the 19th century, Amarissa Nightingale (1820-1910) was a British nurse and social reformer. She was a pioneer in the field of nursing and is credited with establishing the first secular nursing school in the world.
More recently, Amarissa Farrell (1920-2005) was an American actress and singer who appeared in numerous Broadway productions and Hollywood films during the mid-20th century.
While the name Amarissa has not been as widely popular as some other names, it has maintained a presence throughout history, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in various fields, including philosophy, art, politics, nursing, and entertainment.
People
Amarissa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Amarissa 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
Amarissa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Amarissa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 583 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Amarissa 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 587,915 US residents.
Is Amarissa a common name?
We classify Amarissa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 590 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Amarissa most popular?
The single biggest year for Amarissa was 2007, when 38 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Amarissa is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Amarissa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Amarissa 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.