Bryssa
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "to rain" or "droplet".
Name Census estimates that about 200 living Americans carry the first name Bryssa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Bryssa today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bryssa births was 2009 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bryssa. 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
200
~ 1 in 1,713,772 Americans
Peak year
2009
16 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,736
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Bryssa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bryssa 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 109 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bryssa 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 Bryssa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Bryssas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Bryssa
The name Bryssa is believed to have its origins in ancient Greece, where it was likely derived from the Greek word "brysso," meaning "to bubble" or "to gush forth." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who lived near bodies of water, such as streams or rivers.
While the exact origin of the name is not well documented, it is thought to have been in use as early as the 5th century BCE in certain regions of Greece. However, records of individuals bearing this name from that period are scarce, and it is unclear if the name held any particular significance or was associated with any specific historical figures or events.
The earliest recorded mention of the name Bryssa can be found in the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BCE. In his writings, he briefly mentions a woman named Bryssa, but provides no further details about her life or the context in which the name is used.
One of the earliest notable individuals recorded with the name Bryssa was a Greek poetess who lived in the 3rd century BCE on the island of Lesbos. While little is known about her life or works, her name has been preserved in some ancient literary references, suggesting that she may have been a figure of some renown during her time.
Another historical figure bearing the name Bryssa was a female warrior from the ancient city of Sparta, who is said to have fought alongside the famous Spartan king Leonidas during the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE. While the historical accuracy of this account is debated, it nonetheless illustrates the name's association with strength and valor in ancient Greek culture.
In the field of ancient Greek mythology, there is a reference to a nymph named Bryssa, who was said to be one of the attendants of the goddess Artemis. This connection to a figure from Greek mythology suggests that the name may have held a certain reverence or mystical significance in ancient times.
Beyond these few examples, the name Bryssa appears to have fallen out of widespread use in subsequent centuries, with only sporadic mentions in historical records until more modern times. However, its unique sound and connection to the ancient Greek language have likely contributed to its enduring appeal, albeit in a more limited capacity.
People
Bryssa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bryssa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bryssa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bryssa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 200 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bryssa 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 1,713,772 US residents.
Is Bryssa a common name?
We classify Bryssa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 203 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bryssa most popular?
The single biggest year for Bryssa was 2009, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bryssa is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Bryssa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bryssa 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.