Sarissa
The sarissa or sarisa was a long spear or pike about 5 to 7 meters in length. It was introduced by Philip II of Macedon and was used in his Macedonian phalanxes as a replacement for the earlier dory, which was considerably shorter. These longer spears improved the strength of the phalanx by extending the rows of overlapping weapons projecting towards the enemy.
Meaning & Origin of Sarissa
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The sarissa or sarisa was a long spear or pike about 5 to 7 meters in length. It was introduced by Philip II of Macedon and was used in his Macedonian phalanxes as a replacement for the earlier dory, which was considerably shorter. These longer spears improved the strength of the phalanx by extending the rows of overlapping weapons projecting towards the enemy.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Sarissa
Sarissa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1986, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2005, when 10 Sarissas were born — ranking #10,128 that year. As of 2026, Sarissa ranks #14,958 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 108 Sarissas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Sarissa
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sarissa 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 Sarissa
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About the name Sarissa
Sarissa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 108 births in the dataset. Sarissa's peak popularity came in 2005 when it ranked #10,128. Use the chart and map above to compare Sarissa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2005 →
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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.