The first name Alyssa
A girl’s name meaning “a plant of the genus alyssum”.
Pronounced /əˈlɪs.ə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Alyssa means “a plant of the genus alyssum”.
A 20th-century invention. Possible origins: * From alyss(um) (“a plant of the genus Alyssum”) + -a. * From Alicia, of Germanic origin. * From Elissa.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 133 girls were named Alyssa, making it the 325th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2004, with 360 births (#144).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Alyssa with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Alyssa at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 680 girls born in the United States were named Alyssa, the 453rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1999, when 14,036 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Alyssa
20 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Alyssa MilanoAmerican actress (born 1972)
- Alyssa DiazAmerican film and television actress (born 1985)
- Alyssa NaeherAmerican soccer player, born 1988
- Alyssa SutherlandAustralian actress and model, born 1982
- Alyssa ThomasAmerican basketball player (born 1992)
- Alyssa CampanellaAmerican model, born 1990
- Alyssa CarsonAmerican space enthusiast, born 2001
- Alyssa MillerAmerican model, born 1989
- Alyssa ThompsonAmerican association football player (born 2004)
- Alyssa HealyAustralian cricketer, born 1990
- Alyssa AndersonAmerican swimmer, born 1990
- Alyssa Nicole PallettCanadian actress, born 1985
Questions
- What does the name Alyssa mean?
- Alyssa means “a plant of the genus alyssum”.
- How popular is the name Alyssa?
- In 2025, 133 girls born in England and Wales were named Alyssa, ranking 325th. Its peak was 2004, with 360 births.
- What are nicknames for Alyssa?
- Common nicknames for Alyssa include Aly.
- Is Alyssa a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 315,038 US babies named Alyssa since 1880 were girls.
- When was Alyssa most popular?
- 1999 in the United States, when 14,036 babies were named Alyssa, its highest rank at 11th.
- How do you pronounce Alyssa?
- Alyssa is /əˈlɪs.ə/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Alyssa?
- Allyssa.