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Home › Baby Names Directory › Larissa

Larissa

♀ Girl

Pronounced luh-RIS-uh /ləˈɹɪs.ə/Medium

Meaning: From the ancient Greek city Larissa, of uncertain meaning, sometimes linked to a word for 'citadel'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Larissa comes from the name of an ancient Greek city, and its meaning is uncertain.
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Origin MediumGreek, English
MeaningFrom the ancient Greek city Larissa, of uncertain meaning, sometimes linked to a word for 'citadel'.
U.S. rank (2025)#1646 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births126 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1994
Total births (all-time)≈ 23,496

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199419462025

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

The name belonged to a city in Greece long before it became a given name, and what that city name originally meant is genuinely unclear. It is sometimes linked to a word for 'citadel', but this is a guess rather than a settled answer. What is certain is its Greek roots and its long, flowing sound.

It travels easily into Slavic languages as Larysa and Larisa, and shortens naturally to the warm, familiar Lara.

Did you know? Larissa is a spelling variant of Larisa, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'citadel' while changing the visual style.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Larissa — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

LarysaLaraLarisa

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Larissa Manoela (2000-)
    Brazilian actress and singer
  • ★Larisa Latynina (1934-)
    Soviet gymnast and multiple Olympic gold medalist
  • ★Larissa dos Santos Lima (1986-)
    Brazilian reality TV personality from 90 Day Fiance

If you like Larissa…

Lara— the short, affectionate form drawn from Larissa
Marissa— echoes that soft -sa sound
Theresa— echoes that soft -sa sound
Alissa— shares Larissa's English roots
Janessa— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Larissa

By themeenglishgerman

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Larissa mean?

Larissa is usually explained as meaning 'citadel' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Larissa?

It's commonly said luh-RIS-uh /ləˈɹɪs.ə/.

Is Larissa a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Larissa?

In 2024, Larissa ranked #1615 in the U.S. for girls, with 129 births recorded.

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