Lisa first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Lisa has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Lisa

A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "consecrated to God".

Popularity of Lisa by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Lisa is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Lisa being female.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 262 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Lisa.

YearMale CountFemale Count
20240262
20230313
20220289
20210248
20200242
20190276
20180306
20170308
20160344
20150374
20140378
20130354
20120398
20110396
20100396
20090420
20080508
20070525
20060608
20050619
20040710
20030811
20020830
20010908
200071,088
199901,112
199801,363
199701,546
199671,864
199502,236
1994132,564
199373,223
1992113,781
1991144,395
1990145,346
1989306,573
1988387,267
1987267,549
1986317,906
1985339,015
19844610,237
19835211,470
19824412,637
19816514,293
19806115,666
19796817,285
19785017,034
19775317,014
19766117,349
19756918,136

The history of the first name Lisa

The name Lisa is derived from the Hebrew name Elizabeth, which means "consecrated to God" or "my God is an oath." The name's origins can be traced back to the Old Testament, where it appears as Elisheva, the wife of Aaron, the brother of Moses.

In ancient times, the name Elizabeth was popular among Jews and later adopted by Christians. The abbreviated form, Lisa, emerged in the Middle Ages as a diminutive or pet form of the name Elizabeth. It was particularly common in Italy, where it was spelled as Lisa or Lisa.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lisa can be found in the 13th-century poem "Divina Commedia" by Dante Alighieri, where a character named Lisa is mentioned. In the 14th century, the Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio also featured a character named Lisa in his famous work "Decameron."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Lisa. One of the most famous was Lisa del Giocondo, an Italian noblewoman who is believed to have been the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's iconic painting, the Mona Lisa, completed around 1506.

Another significant figure was Lisa Gherardini, an Italian woman who lived in Florence in the 15th century and was the wife of a wealthy silk merchant. Some historians believe she may have been the model for the Mona Lisa, although this is still debated.

In the 16th century, Lisa Lotti was an Italian painter and architect who was one of the few women artists of the Renaissance period. She was born in 1555 and is known for her architectural designs and paintings.

In more recent times, the name Lisa has been associated with several influential figures, such as Lisa Kudrow, the American actress best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay on the popular sitcom "Friends." Kudrow was born in 1963.

Another notable Lisa is Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of music legend Elvis Presley. She was born in 1968 and has pursued a career as a singer and songwriter.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Lisa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Lisa, please contact us.

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