Elyssa
Elyssa was the 5014th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 26 babies. Its best year was 1998, when it ranked 800th; the most babies were born in 2004 (273). Over the last ten years it has moved down 3,091 places. More babies were named Elyssa in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Elisa) short form of Elizabeth · Hebrew
- Rank in 2025
- #5,014 girls, down 2,791 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 26girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2004273 babies
- Total since 1880
- 7,272babies recorded
What does the name Elyssa mean?
Elyssa is a spelling of Elisa, pronounced the same way, so it shares Elisa's meaning and origin.
Elisa is a short form of Elisabeth (Elizabeth), used as a name in its own right in Italian, Spanish, German and other languages; Wiktionary also calls it a spelling variant of French Elise. Elizabeth goes back through Greek to Hebrew Elisheva, which DMNES glosses "my God is an oath". Wikipedia mentions two other suggestions: a link with Elissa, the legendary queen of Carthage also called Dido, and with the biblical Elisha.
אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Hebrew, “Elisheva, 'my God is an oath'”)
How sure is this? Probable. Most sources treat Elisa as a form of Elizabeth; Wikipedia also mentions Phoenician Elissa (Dido) and Elisha.
Related names: Elise, Eliza, Elizabeth, Lisa, Elissa.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Elisa', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wikipedia, 'Elisa (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Elizabeth', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- CMU Pronouncing Dictionary (cmudict), Carnegie Mellon University
Elyssa popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,014 | 26 |
| 2020 | #2,223 | 81 |
| 2010 | #1,270 | 188 |
| 2000 | #876 | 252 |
| 1990 | #982 | 188 |
| 1980 | #2,256 | 44 |
| 1970 | #3,762 | 16 |
| 1960 | #4,552 | 9 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Elyssa, counting every spelling?
Elyssa is a spelling of Elisa, a name family that ranked #455 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #5,014 for Elyssa on its own. Together these spellings went to 700 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elisa | 674 | #458 | 3,641 |
| Elyssa | 26 | #5,014 | 232 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Elyssa?
26 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Elyssa (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Elyssa born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 323 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Elyssa.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Elyssa?
About 7,100 people born in the US named Elyssa are alive today, with a median age of 25; half are between 18 and 33. That makes Elyssa mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Elyssa by state
How common Elyssa was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in California (2.1×). In 47 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Elyssa: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Elyssa, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Elyssa
What does Elyssa mean?
Elyssa is a spelling of Elisa, which means “short form of Elizabeth” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Elyssa?
Elyssa was the 5014th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 26 babies. Its best year was 1998, when it ranked 800th; the most babies were born in 2004 (273). Over the last ten years it has moved down 3,091 places. More babies were named Elyssa in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Elyssa a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Elyssa in the US.
Where is Elyssa most popular?
In 2021–2025, Elyssa was most common in California (0.06 per 1,000 girls), followed by Florida and Texas.