Mariessa
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly a blend of Mary and the suffix -essa.
Name Census estimates that about 35 living Americans carry the first name Mariessa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mariessa today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mariessa births was 1996 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mariessa. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Mariessa with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mariessa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
35
~ 1 in 9,792,981 Americans
Peak year
1996
8 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2002 SSA rank
#17,152
Tracked since 1983
Popularity
Mariessa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mariessa from the 1980s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 20 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
Mariessa 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 Mariessa 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 Mariessa
The name Mariessa has its origins in the Latin language, with roots that can be traced back to ancient Rome. It is believed to be a variation of the name Maria, which itself derives from the Hebrew name Miryam or Maryam.
In the early days of Christianity, the name Maria gained widespread popularity due to its association with the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, the name Maria underwent various linguistic transformations, leading to the emergence of names like Mariessa.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Mariessa can be found in medieval European records, particularly in regions influenced by Latin-based languages, such as Italy and Spain. It is possible that the name was initially used as a diminutive or affectionate form of Maria, adding a touch of endearment.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Mariessa was an Italian noblewoman from the 13th century, Mariessa di Montferrato (1192-1241). She was a prominent figure in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and played a role in the political affairs of the time.
Another notable Mariessa in history was Mariessa de' Medici (1573-1642), a member of the influential Medici family of Florence, Italy. She was a patron of the arts and supported various cultural endeavors during the Renaissance period.
In the realm of literature, the name Mariessa appeared in the works of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). In his masterpiece, the Divine Comedy, Dante includes a character named Mariessa, though little is known about her historical significance.
During the Spanish Golden Age, the name Mariessa was associated with a celebrated playwright and poet, Mariessa de Zayas y Sotomayor (1590-1661). Her works, which explored themes of women's rights and societal critiques, were influential in her time.
In more recent centuries, the name Mariessa has been relatively uncommon, though it has been used sporadically across various cultures influenced by Latin and Romance languages. One notable bearer of the name was Mariessa Gabriella Rossetti (1799-1876), an Italian writer and poet who was part of the influential Rossetti family of artists and intellectuals.
While the name Mariessa has not achieved widespread popularity in modern times, its historical significance lies in its connection to the rich cultural and linguistic tapestry of Latin-based languages, as well as its association with notable figures throughout European history.
People
Mariessa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mariessa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mariessa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mariessa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 35 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mariessa 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 9,792,981 US residents.
Is Mariessa a common name?
We classify Mariessa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 48.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 36 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mariessa most popular?
The single biggest year for Mariessa was 1996, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mariessa is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Mariessa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mariessa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mariessa 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.
Is Mariessa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mariessa in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Mariessa can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Mariessa?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Mariessa on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.