Parisa
A feminine name of Persian origin meaning "like a fairy" or "fairy-like".
Name Census estimates that about 1,044 living Americans carry the first name Parisa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Parisa today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Parisa births was 1991 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Parisa. 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
1.0K
~ 1 in 328,309 Americans
Peak year
1991
40 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,096
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Parisa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Parisa from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 266 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Parisa remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Parisa 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 Parisa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Parisas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, New York, Illinois recorded the most babies named Parisa, while Virginia, Illinois, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 71 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Parisa
The name Parisa is of Persian origin, derived from the ancient Persian language and culture. It is believed to have emerged around the 6th century BCE during the Achaemenid Empire, one of the earliest Persian dynasties.
The name Parisa is thought to be derived from the Persian word "paridukht," which means "fairy-like" or "beautiful." This suggests that the name was originally associated with beauty, grace, and elegance in the Persian tradition.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Parisa appears in the ancient Persian epic poem, the Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century CE. In this epic, Parisa is mentioned as the name of a beautiful and virtuous princess.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Parisa. One of the earliest was Parisa Khanum (1828-1892), a prominent Persian poet and calligrapher during the Qajar dynasty. Her poetry and calligraphy works were highly acclaimed and influential in her time.
Another famous Parisa was Parisa Fitz-Henley (1819-1890), a Jamaican artist and activist known for her paintings depicting scenes of slavery and abolitionism. She was a prominent figure in the anti-slavery movement in Jamaica and the United Kingdom.
In the realm of literature, Parisa Khanizadeh (1928-2007) was an Iranian author and translator who played a significant role in introducing Western literature to Persian readers. Her translations of works by authors like Gabriel García Márquez and Albert Camus were widely acclaimed.
In more recent times, Parisa Fitz-Henley (born 1996) is a Jamaican-American actress known for her roles in popular TV series like "Luke Cage" and "Midnight, Texas." She has gained recognition for her performances and contribution to diverse representation in the entertainment industry.
Another notable Parisa is Parisa Lili Lorzadeh (born 1994), an Iranian-Canadian singer and songwriter. She has gained popularity for her unique blend of traditional Persian music with contemporary styles, and her works often explore themes of cultural identity and personal experiences.
While the name Parisa has Persian roots, it has transcended cultural boundaries and gained popularity in various parts of the world, reflecting the diverse and global nature of names and their meanings.
People
Parisa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Parisa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Parisa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Parisa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,044 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Parisa 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 328,309 US residents.
Is Parisa a common name?
We classify Parisa as "Rare". It ranks above 90.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,074 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Parisa most popular?
The single biggest year for Parisa was 1991, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Parisa is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Parisa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Parisa 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.