Nissa
One of the proposed meanings of this Arabic female name.
Name Census estimates that about 1,437 living Americans carry the first name Nissa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nissa today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nissa births was 1974 (68 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nissa. 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
1.4K
~ 1 in 238,521 Americans
Peak year
1974
68 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,826
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Nissa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nissa from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 527 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nissa 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 Nissa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nissas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, Texas, Minnesota recorded the most babies named Nissa, while Michigan, Illinois, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 32 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nissa
The name Nissa has its origins in various cultures and languages around the world. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Nisha," which means "night" or "darkness." In Hindu mythology, Nisha is also the name of a goddess associated with night and darkness.
Nissa is also a variation of the Arabic name Nisa, which means "woman" or "female." In Islamic tradition, Nisa is one of the chapters in the Quran, and it deals with various aspects of women's rights and responsibilities.
The name Nissa can be found in ancient Sumerian texts, where it was used to refer to a goddess of vegetation and fertility. It is also believed to have been used in ancient Greek mythology, where it was associated with a nymph or a minor goddess.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Nissa dates back to the 12th century, when it was used by a princess of the Kingdom of Georgia. Nissa of Georgia (c. 1174-1216) was a prominent figure in the region and played a significant role in the political and cultural life of her time.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Nissa. In the 16th century, Nissa Bon (1492-1559) was a French scholar and humanist who was known for her contributions to the Renaissance movement.
In the 19th century, Nissa Florentia Beveridge (1858-1931) was a Scottish writer and translator who played a significant role in introducing Indian literature to the Western world.
Nissa Ravikovitch (1938-2011) was an Israeli poet and a prominent figure in modern Hebrew literature. Her works explored themes of identity, memory, and the human condition.
Nissa Benjelloun (1946-2007) was a Moroccan artist and sculptor who gained international recognition for her unique style and exploration of traditional Moroccan crafts.
In the world of sports, Nissa Delle-Ave (born 1985) is a Canadian Olympic swimmer who has represented her country in various international competitions.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Nissa throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human culture and achievement.
People
Nissa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nissa 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
Nissa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nissa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,437 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nissa 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 238,521 US residents.
Is Nissa a common name?
We classify Nissa as "Rare". It ranks above 92.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,527 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nissa most popular?
The single biggest year for Nissa was 1974, when 68 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nissa is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nissa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nissa 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.