ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1949

First Year

2026

Last Year

1992

Peak Year

#240

Peak Rank

28K

Total Count

76

Years Active

🌍

## 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 ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carissa%5F%28name%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carissa%5F%28name%29)

### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

* English

📖

## The Story of Carissa

American parents first put Carissa on the record books as a baby girl name in 1949, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1992, when 1,156 Carissas were born — ranking #240 that year. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 31% of all recorded Carissas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,163 among baby girl names 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

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

🔗

## Variants & Related Forms of Carissa

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Carissa. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* [Charissa](/charissa)
* [Karissa](/karissa)

🎶

## 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. 

* [Karissa](/karissa)
* [Charissa](/charissa)
* [Carisa](/carisa)
* Coryza
* [Karisa](/karisa)
* [Clarisa](/clarisa)
* [Charisse](/charisse)
* [Caria](/caria)
* Crisa
* Carrizo
* Carrozza
* [Korea](/korea)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Carissa

What does the name Carissa mean?

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).

What is the origin of the name Carissa?

Carissa has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.

How popular is Carissa in 2026?

In 2026, Carissa ranks #4,163 among girls' names in the U.S., with 34 babies given the name that year.

When was Carissa most popular?

Carissa reached its peak popularity in 1992, ranking #240 that year with 1,156 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Carissa most popular?

Carissa has historically been most popular in Wyoming, South Dakota, Rhode Island. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Carissa.

Is Carissa a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Carissa is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Carissa?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Carissa include Lyda, Laurel, Maisie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

What are nicknames or variants of Carissa?

Common variants and related forms of Carissa include Charissa, Karissa. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

## Similar Names

[👧LydaPeak #240](/lyda)[👧LaurelPeak #241](/laurel)[👧MaisiePeak #241](/maisie)[👧DelorisPeak #239](/deloris)[👧LoriePeak #241](/lorie)[👧KiraPeak #241](/kira)[👧JamiPeak #239](/jami)[👧LexiPeak #241](/lexi)

## 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 → ](/year/1992)
* [ Names of the 1990s → ](/decade/1990s)
* [ Names starting with "C" → ](/letter/c)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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.