Caryssa
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "grace" or "beautiful".
Name Census estimates that about 193 living Americans carry the first name Caryssa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Caryssa today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Caryssa births was 1999 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Caryssa. 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
193
~ 1 in 1,775,929 Americans
Peak year
1999
16 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2012 SSA rank
#17,397
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Caryssa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Caryssa from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 97 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
Caryssa 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 Caryssa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Caryssa
The name Caryssa is a feminine name of Greek origin. It is derived from the Greek word "charis" which means grace, favor, or charm. The name first emerged in the late 19th century as a variation of the more common name "Carissa."
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Caryssa was in ancient Greek literature, where it was used to describe a beautiful and graceful woman. The name was also mentioned in some early Christian texts, where it was associated with the concept of divine grace.
The first notable person with the name Caryssa was Caryssa of Corinth, a Greek poet who lived in the 5th century BC. She is known for her lyrical poems that celebrated the beauty of nature and the human spirit.
In the 12th century, there was a Caryssa of Constantinople, a Byzantine noblewoman who was renowned for her charity and philanthropy. She established several schools and hospitals for the poor in the city.
During the Renaissance period, Caryssa Borgia (1476-1518) was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts. She was known for her support of artists and intellectuals, and her lavish parties and salons.
In the 19th century, Caryssa Mendoza (1835-1901) was a Mexican artist and activist who fought for women's rights and education. She founded several schools for girls and advocated for women's suffrage.
More recently, Caryssa Alvarado (1922-2008) was a Puerto Rican writer and journalist who chronicled the struggles and triumphs of her community. Her novels and short stories explored themes of identity, culture, and social justice.
Throughout history, the name Caryssa has been associated with grace, beauty, and a strong sense of purpose. While not as common as some other names, it has been carried by notable women who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.
People
Caryssa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Caryssa 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
Caryssa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Caryssa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 193 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Caryssa 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 1,775,929 US residents.
Is Caryssa a common name?
We classify Caryssa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 198 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Caryssa most popular?
The single biggest year for Caryssa was 1999, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Caryssa is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Caryssa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Caryssa 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.