Calissa
A feminine name of English origin meaning "most beautiful".
Name Census estimates that about 879 living Americans carry the first name Calissa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Calissa today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calissa births was 2001 (49 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calissa. 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
879
~ 1 in 389,937 Americans
Peak year
2001
49 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,018
Tracked since 1962
Popularity
Calissa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calissa from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 371 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
Calissa 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 Calissa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Calissas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, Georgia recorded the most babies named Calissa, while Georgia, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 35 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Calissa
The name Calissa is believed to have originated from the Greek language, derived from the word "kallos," meaning beauty or beautiful. It is thought to have first appeared during the Hellenistic period, which spanned from the 4th to the 1st century BC, a time when Greek culture and influence spread throughout the Mediterranean region and beyond.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Calissa can be found in ancient Greek literature, specifically in the works of the poet Callimachus, who lived in the 3rd century BC. In one of his poems, he makes reference to a character named Calissa, though it is unclear whether this was a real person or a fictional character.
During the Byzantine era, which lasted from the 4th to the 15th century AD, the name Calissa gained popularity among Greek Christians. It was often bestowed upon young girls as a way to celebrate their beauty and grace, reflecting the name's Greek origins.
In the 12th century, a notable figure named Calissa of Constantinople gained recognition for her role in the Crusades. She was a noble woman who provided support and aid to the crusaders during their battles against the Muslim forces in the Holy Land.
Another historical figure bearing the name Calissa was a renowned artist from the 16th century Italian Renaissance. Calissa di Firenze, born in 1512, was celebrated for her exquisite paintings and frescoes, which adorned many churches and palaces throughout Italy.
In the 18th century, a Russian noblewoman named Calissa Volkonskaya made a significant impact on the cultural landscape of her time. She was a patron of the arts and a prominent figure in the literary salons of St. Petersburg, hosting gatherings for some of the most renowned writers and intellectuals of the era.
During the 19th century, a Greek philosopher and writer named Calissa Papadopoulou gained recognition for her insightful works on ethics and morality. Born in 1824, she challenged traditional gender roles and advocated for women's education and empowerment.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Calissa, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage associated with this beautiful and enduring name.
People
Calissa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calissa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Calissa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calissa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 879 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calissa 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 389,937 US residents.
Is Calissa a common name?
We classify Calissa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 897 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Calissa most popular?
The single biggest year for Calissa was 2001, when 49 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calissa is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Calissa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Calissa 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.