Girl · #16,544 in 2026

Nelissa

Name: Popularity of the name Nelissa in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Nelissa, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#16,544

Peak Rank

#5,923 (1987)

Total Babies

169

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1974

First Year

2013

Last Year

1987

Peak Year

#5923

Peak Rank

169

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Nelissa

Nelissa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1974, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1987, when 12 Nelissas were born — ranking #5,923 that year. As of 2026, Nelissa ranks #16,544 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 169 Nelissas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Nelissa

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nelissa 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 Nelissa

What does the name Nelissa mean?

Nelissa is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1974. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Nelissa in 2026?

In 2026, Nelissa ranks #16,544 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Nelissa most popular?

Nelissa reached its peak popularity in 1987, ranking #5,923 that year with 12 babies given the name.

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

Nelissa has historically been most popular in New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nelissa.

Is Nelissa a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Nelissa?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nelissa include Lechelle, Heater, Otisha. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Nelissa

Nelissa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 169 births in the dataset. Nelissa's peak popularity came in 1987 when it ranked #5,923. Use the chart and map above to compare Nelissa'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.