Carlisa
A feminine name derived from the Germanic name "Carl" meaning "manly".
Name Census estimates that about 921 living Americans carry the first name Carlisa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Carlisa today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Carlisa births was 1990 (39 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Carlisa. 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
921
~ 1 in 372,155 Americans
Peak year
1990
39 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2014 SSA rank
#17,069
Tracked since 1957
Popularity
Carlisa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Carlisa from the 1950s through to the 2010s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 255 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Carlisa 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 Carlisa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Carlisas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Ohio, Illinois, Georgia recorded the most babies named Carlisa, while Mississippi, Florida, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Carlisa
The name Carlisa finds its roots in the Germanic languages, with its origins tracing back to the 8th century. It is a feminine form of the male name Carlisle, which is derived from the Old English words "caer" meaning fort or city, and "liss" meaning courtyard or enclosure. This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals living within or near fortified settlements.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carlisa can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical record mentions a woman named Carlisa who resided in the village of Bourne, Lincolnshire.
During the Middle Ages, the name Carlisa gained popularity among noble families in various European regions. In 1243, Carlisa of Anjou, a French noblewoman, was born into the prestigious House of Anjou. She later married into the influential Lusignan dynasty and became a prominent figure in the court of King Henry III of England.
In the 15th century, Carlisa Borgia, an Italian noblewoman and member of the infamous Borgia family, made her mark in history. Born in 1492, she was known for her political acumen and played a significant role in the intrigues of the Renaissance period.
The name Carlisa also found its way into religious texts. In the 17th century, Sister Carlisa Maria de la Cruz, a Spanish nun and mystic, gained recognition for her spiritual writings and devotion to the Catholic faith. She was born in 1615 and passed away in 1678.
Another notable figure was Carlisa von Klenau, a German painter and printmaker born in 1768. She was renowned for her intricate etchings and engravings depicting landscapes and architectural scenes. Her artistic contributions were celebrated throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
These examples illustrate the diverse cultural backgrounds and historical contexts in which the name Carlisa has been used over the centuries, reflecting its enduring appeal and significance across various regions and eras.
People
Carlisa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Carlisa 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
Carlisa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Carlisa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 921 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Carlisa 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 372,155 US residents.
Is Carlisa a common name?
We classify Carlisa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,001 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Carlisa most popular?
The single biggest year for Carlisa was 1990, when 39 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Carlisa is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Carlisa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Carlisa 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.