Carissa
Carissa is a feminine given name of Greek origin derived from Greek χαρις (charis) meaning "grace." It can also be translated as "beloved." Coined by English poet Edmund Spenser in his epic poem "The Faerie Queene" (1590). Related names in other languages include Cara, Carys (Welsh), Cherie, and Cheryl (English).
Meaning & Origin of Carissa
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Carissa is a feminine given name of Greek origin derived from Greek χαρις (charis) meaning "grace." It can also be translated as "beloved." Coined by English poet Edmund Spenser in his epic poem "The Faerie Queene" (1590). Related names in other languages include Cara, Carys (Welsh), Cherie, and Cheryl (English).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Carissa
Carissa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1949, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1992, when 1,156 Carissas were born — ranking #240 that year. As of 2026, Carissa ranks #4,163 for baby girls with 34 births, falling sharply (-52%). In total, more than 28K Carissas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Carissa
Phonetically similar names — useful when Carissa 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 Carissa
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About the name Carissa
Carissa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1949 and has accumulated 28K births in the dataset. Carissa's peak popularity came in 1992 when it ranked #240. Use the chart and map above to compare Carissa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1992 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "C" →
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- 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.