Given name
Karissa
“filled with grace and kindess; very dear”
Karissa is used as a given name. One Greek interpretation is “filled with grace and kindess; very dear.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Greek interpretation is “filled with grace and kindess; very dear.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1961. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Karissa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 20,089
- 0 boys · 20,089 girls
- Most popular year
- 1991
- 901 babies
- 2025
- 58
- #2,915 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −47%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 58 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,915 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 46.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 901 in 1991. In 2025, New York and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (6 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 17,331 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.
Karissa’s family of names
Karissa has a related form in Karis. Karissa has a related form in Karisa. Karissa has a related form in Karyssa.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Karissa
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Karissa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Quianna
“living with grace; heavenly”
>99% girls
Asha
“wish” · “desire”
1% boys · 99% girls
Jarina
“one who works the earth; a farmer”
>99% girls
Saba
“woman from Sheba” · “born in the morning”
8% boys · 92% girls
Stevonna
“a crowned lady”
>99% girls
Imani
“having great faith” · “God is with us”
6% boys · 94% girls
Tabitha
“doe” · “resembling a gazelle; known for beauty and grace”
>99% girls
Crystal
“resembling clear, sparkling, brilliant glass”
>99% girls