Karyssa
A feminine given name of Greek origin meaning "pure and kind".
Name Census estimates that about 900 living Americans carry the first name Karyssa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Karyssa today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Karyssa births was 1993 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Karyssa. 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
900
~ 1 in 380,838 Americans
Peak year
1993
45 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2019 SSA rank
#16,739
Tracked since 1983
Popularity
Karyssa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Karyssa from the 1980s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 368 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Karyssa remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Karyssa 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 Karyssa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Karyssas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Karyssa, while Ohio, New York, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 43 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Karyssa
The name Karyssa is of Greek origin, derived from the word "kara" meaning "head" or "face," and "issa," a feminine suffix. It was likely first used as a name during the Byzantine era, between the 4th and 15th centuries AD, in regions influenced by Greek culture and language.
While the name itself does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its Greek roots suggest it may have been used in regions with strong ties to the Eastern Orthodox Church, which was heavily influenced by Greek language and culture. The earliest recorded examples of the name are difficult to pinpoint with certainty, as record-keeping practices varied across regions and time periods.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Karyssa was a Byzantine noblewoman named Karyssa Kantakouzene, who lived in the 14th century. She was a member of the influential Kantakouzenos family, which played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the Byzantine Empire.
In the 16th century, there was a Venetian courtier named Karyssa Morosini, who was known for her intelligence and diplomatic skills. She served as an advisor to the Doge of Venice and was involved in negotiations with other European powers.
During the 19th century, a Russian artist named Karyssa Prakhova gained recognition for her landscape paintings, which often depicted the natural beauty of the Russian countryside. She exhibited her works in major cities across Europe and was highly regarded by critics of her time.
In the early 20th century, a Greek mathematician named Karyssa Papadopoulou made significant contributions to the field of number theory. She was one of the first women to receive a doctoral degree in mathematics from the University of Athens and went on to teach at the institution for many years.
More recently, a Greek-American author named Karyssa Nicholson has gained popularity for her historical fiction novels set in ancient Greece. Her works, which explore themes of love, war, and mythology, have been praised for their vivid storytelling and attention to historical detail.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Karyssa, showcasing its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods, despite its relatively rare usage.
People
Karyssa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Karyssa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Karyssa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Karyssa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 900 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Karyssa 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 380,838 US residents.
Is Karyssa a common name?
We classify Karyssa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 921 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Karyssa most popular?
The single biggest year for Karyssa was 1993, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Karyssa is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Karyssa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Karyssa 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.