Girl · #15,243 in 2026

Karisa

The Central Province was a region in central Kenya until 2013, when Kenya's provinces were replaced by a system of counties. It covered an area of 11,449 km2 (4,420 sq mi) and was located to the north of Nairobi and west of Mount Kenya. The province had 4,383,743 inhabitants according to the 2009 census. The provincial headquarters was Nyeri.

Current Rank
#15,243
Peak Rank
#1,109 (1992)
Total Babies
3K
5-Yr Trend
-5%
1961
First Year
2024
Last Year
1992
Peak Year
#1109
Peak Rank
3K
Total Count
59
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Karisa

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The Central Province was a region in central Kenya until 2013, when Kenya's provinces were replaced by a system of counties. It covered an area of 11,449 km2 (4,420 sq mi) and was located to the north of Nairobi and west of Mount Kenya. The province had 4,383,743 inhabitants according to the 2009 census. The provincial headquarters was Nyeri.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
The province is inhabited by the Kikuyu speaking community almost exclusively. They are part of the Kenya Eastern Bantus. During Kenya's colonization by the British, much of the province was regarded as part of the ' White Highlands ', for the exclusive use of the European community. Therefore, it saw political activity from the local communities who felt that they had an ancestral right to the land. This tension culminated in the 1950s with the Mau Mau rebellion ; which saw the region placed under a state of emergency and the arrest of many prominent political leaders.

The Story of Karisa

Karisa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1961, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1992, when 161 Karisas were born — ranking #1,109 that year. As of 2026, Karisa ranks #15,243 for baby girls with 5 births, gradually falling (-5%). In total, more than 3K Karisas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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No data

Names that sound like Karisa

Phonetically similar names — useful when Karisa 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 Karisa

What does the name Karisa mean?
The Central Province was a region in central Kenya until 2013, when Kenya's provinces were replaced by a system of counties. It covered an area of 11,449 km2 (4,420 sq mi) and was located to the north of Nairobi and west of Mount Kenya. The province had 4,383,743 inhabitants according to the 2009 census. The provincial headquarters was Nyeri.
How popular is Karisa in 2026?
In 2026, Karisa ranks #15,243 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Karisa most popular?
Karisa reached its peak popularity in 1992, ranking #1,109 that year with 161 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Karisa most popular?
Karisa has historically been most popular in Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Karisa.
Is Karisa a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Karisa is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Karisa?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Karisa include Trudie, Phyliss, Lark. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Trudie
Peak #1109
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Phyliss
Peak #1109
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Lark
Peak #1109
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Kandis
Peak #1109
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Ariadna
Peak #1109
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Latrenda
Peak #1109
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Female
Peak #1109
👧
Murtie
Peak #1108

About the name Karisa

Karisa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1961 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Karisa's peak popularity came in 1992 when it ranked #1,109. Use the chart and map above to compare Karisa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.