Lysa

♀ Girl

Pronounced LEE-sah /ˈli.sə/High

Meaning: Lysa is a -y- respelling of Lisa, the short form of Elizabeth, from the Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'. The spelling gives the mid-century favorite a slightly more exotic look while keeping its sound.Low

In 30 seconds: Lysa is a respelling of Lisa, the short form of Elizabeth, from the Hebrew 'God is my oath'. The -y- adds a modern touch to a mid-century staple (said LEE-sah).

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Origin MediumHebrew, English

MeaningLysa is a -y- respelling of Lisa, the short form of Elizabeth, from the Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath'. The spelling gives the mid-century favorite a slightly more exotic look while keeping its sound.

U.S. rank (2022)#16759 ↘ Falling

2022 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1968

Total births (all-time)≈ 761

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

Lysa is a spelling variant of Lisa, which began as a short form of Elizabeth (Hebrew Elisheva, 'God is my oath') and became a stand-alone favorite in the mid-twentieth century. The -y- spelling reflects the later fashion for individualizing very common names.

Lysa was always rare beside the hugely popular Lisa, appearing only a few dozen times a year around its late-1960s peak. It reads as a distinctive personal spelling of a familiar name rather than a separate one, and it recently gained fresh visibility as a character name in modern fantasy.

Did you know? Lisa and its variants like Lysa all shrink down the grand Elizabeth - so a name that looks casual actually carries the solemn oath-meaning of one of history's most enduring names.

Overall data confidence 55%

References - Lysa / Lisa / Elizabeth — Respelling of Lisa, short form of Elizabeth, Hebrew 'God is my oath'

Variations

LisaLeesaLyssaAlyssa

Nicknames

LyLee

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Lysa…

Lisa— the standard name Lysa respells, same Elizabeth root

Leesa— another phonetic respelling of the same name

Alyssa— a related -yss- name of similar sound

Elisa— a fellow short form of Elizabeth

Explore names like Lysa

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Lysa mean?

Lysa is a respelling of Lisa, a short form of Elizabeth, from the Hebrew 'God is my oath'.

How do you pronounce Lysa?

It's said LEE-sah /ˈli.sə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Lysa a boy or girl name?

Lysa is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Lysa?

Lysa has always been rare beside the common Lisa, peaking faintly in the late sixties.