Given name
Clarisa
“fame”
In Spanish use, Clarisa has a related form in Clara. Clara is connected with the Latin idea of being famous, and is also interpreted through brightness. Clarisa is a variant of Clarice. One Latin interpretation is “fame.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Spanish use, Clarisa has a related form in Clara. Clara is connected with the Latin idea of being famous, and is also interpreted through brightness. Clarisa is a variant of Clarice. One Latin interpretation is “fame.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Spanish use, Clarisa has a related form in Clara. Clara is a post-classical Latin name used in English, Italian, and German. Clarisa is a variant of Clarice. An origin associated with Clarice is Latin.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Spanish use, Clarisa has a related form in Clara. The shared background comes through Clara: Clara uses the feminine form of Latin clarus. In English, it represents a return to the Latin form alongside the established spelling Clare.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1911. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In Spanish use, Clarisa has a related form in Clara. The history of Clara gives this family its wider story. Clara’s history includes English, Italian, and German use. In the Scottish Highlands, it also served as a translation equivalent of Sorcha. In English use, Clarisa has a related form in Clarissa. The history of Clarissa gives this family its wider story. Clarissa occurs in medieval documents, so its story begins before the novel. Samuel Richardson revived it for the central character of Clarissa, published in 1748.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Clarisa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,193
- 0 boys · 3,193 girls
- Most popular year
- 1994
- 323 babies
- 2025
- 21
- #5,758 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −51%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 21 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,758 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 50.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 323 in 1994. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,541 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Clarisa’s family of names
Clarisa shares a linguistic root with Clarissa. In Spanish usage, Clarisa has a related form in Clara. In Spanish usage, Clarisa has a related form in Clarissa.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Clarisa
- Clarisa FernándezArgentine tennis playerborn 1981
- Clarisa HuberArgentinian footballerborn 1984
- Clarisa SagardíaArgentinian volleyball playerborn 1989
- Clarisa HardyArgentinian-born Chilean politician, anthropologist and psychologistborn 1945
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Clarisa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“noble” · “kind”
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Alesha
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Alysia
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Alyssa
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Maranda
“one who is worthy of admiration”
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Alecia
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Hilary
“a cheerful woman; bringer of joy”
2% boys · 98% girls