Merissa
Marissa is a feminine given name typically used in Western culture. It is a variation of Maris, which is Latin for 'of the sea'. It can also be spelled Marrisa, Merissa or Marisa. Marissa also means "little Mary" referring to the Virgin Mary.
Meaning & Origin of Merissa
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Marissa is a feminine given name typically used in Western culture. It is a variation of Maris, which is Latin for 'of the sea'. It can also be spelled Marrisa, Merissa or Marisa. Marissa also means "little Mary" referring to the Virgin Mary.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Merissa
Merissa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1962, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1995, when 172 Merissas were born — ranking #1,045 that year. As of 2026, Merissa ranks #13,792 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 3K Merissas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Merissa
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Marissa Alexander , American woman convicted of aggravated assault
- Marissa Anita (born 1983), Indonesian journalist, actress, and television news presenter
- Marissa Aroy , Filipino-American director and producer
- Marissa Baks (born 1998), Dutch professional racing cyclist
- Marissa Bode (born 2000), American actress
- Marissa Brandt (born 1992), Korean-American ice hockey player
- Marissa Bridge , American artist
- Marissa Callaghan (born 1985), Northern Irish women's association football player
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Merissa
Phonetically similar names — useful when Merissa 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 Merissa
What does the name Merissa mean?
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About the name Merissa
Merissa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1962 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Merissa's peak popularity came in 1995 when it ranked #1,045. Use the chart and map above to compare Merissa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1995 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- 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.