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Clarissa

♀ Girl

Pronounced kluh-RIS-uh /kləˈrɪs.ə/High

Meaning: Bright, clear, famous; Latinate form of Clara or Clarice, from Latin clarus (clear, bright, famous)High

In 30 seconds: An elaborate Latinate form of Clara meaning 'bright,' 'clear,' and 'famous,' given literary immortality by Samuel Richardson's epistolary novel Clarissa (1748) — one of the longest novels in English literature.

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Origin HighLatin

MeaningBright, clear, famous; Latinate form of Clara or Clarice, from Latin clarus (clear, bright, famous)

U.S. rank (2025)#1114 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births212 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1995

Total births (all-time)≈ 40,480

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Clarissa is a Latinate elaboration of Clara or Clarice, from Latin clarus (clear, bright, famous). The name gained significant cultural weight through Samuel Richardson's epistolary novel Clarissa (1748), considered one of the first psychological novels in English.

Clarissa has been used consistently in English-speaking countries since the 18th century. It ranked #1159 for girls in 2024, with a quiet vintage presence.

Did you know? Samuel Richardson's Clarissa (1748) is approximately 984,870 words long — one of the longest novels in English literature — making Clarissa perhaps the name with the most words dedicated to a single fictional bearer in literary history.

Overall data confidence 94%

Behind the Name — Clarissa — Latin etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

ClaraClariceClarisse

Nicknames

ClaraRissaClari

Famous Bearers

★Clarissa Harlowe (fictional)
The heroine of Samuel Richardson's novel Clarissa (1748), an early and influential psychological study in 18th-century English fiction.

If you like Clarissa…

Clara— the base name from which Clarissa elaborates

Clarice— the French form of the same Latinate root

Melissa— three-syllable -issa ending name in the same classical register

Larissa— three-syllable -issa ending name with a similar elegant feel

Explore names like Clarissa

By themelatin classic three-syllable literary bright

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Clarissa mean?

Clarissa means 'bright,' 'clear,' and 'famous,' a Latinate elaboration of Clara, from Latin clarus.

How do you pronounce Clarissa?

It's said kluh-RIS-uh — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Clarissa a boy or girl name?

Clarissa is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Clarissa?

Clarissa ranked #1159 for U.S. girls in 2024.