Home › Baby Names Directory › Ilissa
Ilissa
How to Pronounce Ilissa
Pronounced ih-LISS-uh /ɪˈlɪs.ə/Medium
Meaning: Ilissa is an I-spelled form of Alyssa or Ilyssa, names tied to the alyssum flower (Greek a-, 'without,' plus lyssa, 'madness,' the plant once thought to cure frenzy) and often felt as a cousin of Alice, 'noble.' The i opening is a stylistic variant.Low
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
Ilissa is a variant of Alyssa and Ilyssa, linked to the alyssum flower and blending with the Alice family ('noble'). Alyssa rose sharply in the 1970s and 1980s, and inventive forms like Ilissa followed. It appears in United States records from the late 1960s and reached a small high around 1989.
A girl named Ilissa at that late-1980s high would be in her thirties now, part of the Alyssa generation. The i-spelling never overtook the standard Alyssa and has faded; parents drawn to the sound choose Alyssa or Alissa. It reads as an of-its-era respelling.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Ilissa…
Explore names like Ilissa
Frequently Asked
What does the name Ilissa mean?
It is a variant of Alyssa, tied to the alyssum flower and the Alice family, 'noble.'
How do you pronounce Ilissa?
It's said ih-LISS-uh /ɪˈlɪs.ə/, three syllables.
Is Ilissa a boy or girl name?
Ilissa is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Ilissa?
It has always been rare, an Alyssa variant given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak.