Nerissa
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "sea nymph".
Name Census estimates that about 1,803 living Americans carry the first name Nerissa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nerissa today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nerissa births was 1979 (73 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nerissa. 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
1.8K
~ 1 in 190,102 Americans
Peak year
1979
73 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,738
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Nerissa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nerissa from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 488 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
Nerissa 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 Nerissa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nerissas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Nerissa, while Washington, Pennsylvania, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 52 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nerissa
The name Nerissa is believed to have its origins in the Italian language, derived from the Latin word "nigra," meaning "black." It was likely first used as a feminine form of the Italian name Nero, which also means "black" or "dark-haired."
During the Renaissance period in Italy, particularly in the 16th century, the name Nerissa gained popularity among the Italian nobility and upper classes. It was often given to girls with dark hair or olive complexions, reflecting the name's meaning.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nerissa can be found in William Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice," written around 1596-1597. In the play, Nerissa is a character, a witty and clever lady-in-waiting to the character Portia. This literary reference contributed to the name's subsequent popularity and usage in other parts of Europe.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nerissa. One such person was Nerissa Camarago (1863-1943), a British actress and theater manager who was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She managed the Court Theatre in London and was known for her productions of Shakespeare's plays.
Another notable Nerissa was Nerissa Schriever (1896-1983), an American artist and illustrator who was particularly renowned for her etchings and woodblock prints. Her works were exhibited in various galleries and museums across the United States.
In the field of literature, Nerissa Noel (1920-2003) was a British novelist and children's author. She wrote several popular books for young readers, including "The Night They Stole Santa Claus" and "A Little Princess of the Slums."
Nerissa Campfield (1892-1986) was an American businesswoman and philanthropist who co-founded the Campfield Plastics Company in New Jersey. She was also actively involved in various charitable organizations and served on the boards of several educational institutions.
Lastly, Nerissa Naidoo (1964-), a South African author and academic, is known for her works exploring issues of race, identity, and gender in post-apartheid South Africa. Her novel "Nest of Moments" received critical acclaim and was nominated for several literary awards.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Nerissa throughout history, reflecting the name's enduring popularity and cultural significance across various regions and time periods.
People
Nerissa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nerissa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nerissa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nerissa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,803 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nerissa 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 190,102 US residents.
Is Nerissa a common name?
We classify Nerissa as "Rare". It ranks above 93.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,968 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nerissa most popular?
The single biggest year for Nerissa was 1979, when 73 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nerissa is about 40 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nerissa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nerissa 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.