Clarissa
Clarissa is a girl's name of Latin origin.
Meaning
Bright, clear, or famous.
Origin and history
Clarissa is a Latin-derived name originating as an elaboration of Clara. It gained literary popularity through Samuel Richardson's 18th-century novel 'Clarissa' and has maintained steady usage in the United States. Today, it remains a recognized classic that peaked in popularity during the 1990s.
Popularity in the United States
40,484 babies in the United States have been named Clarissa since 1880. It ranks #678 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #984.
States where it is most popular
- TX (22.3 %)
- CA (20.7 %)
- NY (5.8 %)
- IL (4.3 %)
- AZ (3.9 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 133 |
| 1890-1900 | 221 |
| 1900-1910 | 252 |
| 1910-1920 | 596 |
| 1920-1930 | 663 |
| 1930-1940 | 512 |
| 1940-1950 | 680 |
| 1950-1960 | 1,402 |
| 1960-1970 | 2,323 |
| 1970-1980 | 3,473 |
| 1980-1990 | 6,374 |
| 1990-2000 | 10,592 |
| 2000-2010 | 7,558 |
| 2010-2019 | 4,266 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,439 |
Famous people named Clarissa
- Clarissa Harlowe Barton: Nurse, Humanitarian
- Clarissa Ward: Journalist, Correspondent
- Clarissa Shields: Boxer, Athlete
Nicknames
Claire, Clara, Rissa, Clari
Fun facts
- The name gained widespread recognition in the English-speaking world following Samuel Richardson's 1748 landmark epistolary novel 'Clarissa'.
- The name saw a surge in U.S. pop culture visibility in the 1990s due to the popular television series 'Clarissa Explains It All'.