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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Elissa

Elissa

♀ Girl

Pronounced eh-LIS-uh /Ι›.ˈlΙͺs.Ι™/Low

Meaning: alternate name of Dido, legendary founder of Carthage, of Phoenician originLow

In 30 seconds: Elissa is the alternate name of Dido, the legendary founder of Carthage, and is Phoenician in origin.
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Origin LowPhoenician, Greek, English
Meaningalternate name of Dido, legendary founder of Carthage, of Phoenician origin
U.S. rank (2025)#1848 β†˜ Falling
2025 U.S. births108 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1979
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 18,032

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 197919142025

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

In ancient legend, Elissa was another name for Dido, the queen who founded the great city of Carthage. The name is Phoenician, tied directly to that founding-queen story. It carries the air of an old, storied heroine.

Its smooth three syllables and soft double 's' give it a flowing, classical sound. The link to Dido lends it a quiet sense of legend and leadership.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Elissa is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 55%
Behind the Name - Elissa β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Elissa (1971-)
    Lebanese singer (born Elissar Zakaria Khoury), one of the Arab world's best-known artists
  • β˜…Elissa Landi (1904-1948)
    Italian-born actress and novelist of Hollywood's early sound era
  • β˜…Elissa Steamer (1975-)
    American professional skateboarder, a pioneer of women's street skating

If you like Elissa…

Elisaβ€” shares the same sound with a single 's'
Alyssaβ€” a closely matching modern name in sound
Melissaβ€” echoes the soft '-issa' ending
Eliseβ€” a related name with the same gentle 'Eli-' opening

Frequently Asked

What does the name Elissa mean?

Elissa is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Uncertain tradition.

How do you pronounce Elissa?

It's commonly said eh-LIS-uh /Ι›.ˈlΙͺs.Ι™/.

Is Elissa a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Elissa is used as a girl name.

How popular is Elissa?

In 2024, Elissa ranked #1526 in the U.S. for girls, with 140 births recorded.

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