The first name Marissa
A girl’s name from Spanish.
Pronounced /məˈɹɪsə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Spanish origin
A female given name from Spanish, a contraction of Maria Lisa or Maria Luisa, though sometimes regarded as a re-interpretation of the name Melissa as a homophone in another European language.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 8 girls were named Marissa, making it the 3,035th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2008, with 86 births (#467).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Marissa with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Marissa at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 123 girls born in the United States were named Marissa, the 1,679th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1994, when 6,246 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
More Spanish girls’ names
Questions
- What is the origin of the name Marissa?
- Marissa comes from Spanish.
- How popular is the name Marissa?
- In 2025, 8 girls born in England and Wales were named Marissa, ranking 3,035th. Its peak was 2008, with 86 births.
- Is Marissa a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 121,112 US babies named Marissa since 1880 were girls.
- When was Marissa most popular?
- 1994 in the United States, when 6,246 babies were named Marissa, its highest rank at 53rd.
- How do you pronounce Marissa?
- Marissa is /məˈɹɪsə/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Marissa?
- Marisa, Maryssa and Merissa.