Anissa
Anissa or Anisa is a feminine given name derived from the Arabic language أنس (ʾanisa), meaning “to be friendly.”
- English
Meaning & Origin of Anissa
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Anissa or Anisa is a feminine given name derived from the Arabic language أنس (ʾanisa), meaning “to be friendly.”
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Anissa
American parents first put Anissa on the record books as a baby girl name in 1966, with 23 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1971, when 724 Anissas were born — ranking #348 that year. About 27% of every Anissa on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Anissa ranks #2,860 for baby girls with 58 births, falling sharply (-31%). All told, over 13K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Anissa
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Anissa. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Anissa
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Anissa Abi-Dargham , American psychiatrist and researcher
- Anissa Blondin (born 1992), Belgian model and beauty pageant titleholder
- Anissa Chan , Hong Kong educator
- Anissa Dellidj (born 1993), French-born Algerian footballer
- Anissa Haddaoui (born 1991), Dutch-Moroccan boxer, kickboxer, muay thai fighter and BJJ practitioner
- Anissa Hassouna (1953-2022), Egyptian politician
- Anissa Helou (born 1952), Lebanese-born British chef, teacher, and author
- Anissa Jones (1958-1976), American child actress
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Anissa
Phonetically similar names — useful when Anissa is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Anissa
What does the name Anissa mean?
What is the origin of the name Anissa?
How popular is Anissa in 2026?
When was Anissa most popular?
In which U.S. states is Anissa most popular?
Is Anissa a unisex name?
What names go well with Anissa?
What are nicknames or variants of Anissa?
About the name Anissa
Anissa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1966 and has accumulated 13K births in the dataset. Anissa's peak popularity came in 1971 when it ranked #348. Use the chart and map above to compare Anissa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1971 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.