Alyssa

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Alyssa

Gender: Feminine
Language: English
Etymology:
Alyssa is a fanciful respelling of Alice (based on the medieval form of Alys, or the modern Latin form of Alicia). Alice is the modern English form of Adelaide. Adelaide contracted to Adelais to Adeliz to Aliz to Alice.

History:
Alyssa is a modern name. It first appeared on the charts in the 1960s and has risen steadily ever since to become a very popular. Names that end in the “issa” sound have been trendy since the 1960s, beginning with Melissa and Lisa and continuing with names like Carissa, Clarissa, Marissa, Elisa, and Larissa.

Please see Adelaide or Alice for more information.

Pronunciation: ah-liss-ah

Diminutives: Al, Allie.

Alternates: Alissa, Alisse, Alyssah, Alyssia.

Famous Bearers:
Singers and Entertainers:
Alyssa Milano (1972-)
American actress.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.031 % named Alyssa
0.011 % named Alissa

Popularity of Alyssa:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1962: N/A
1963: 951st most popular.
1964: 974th most popular.
1965: 932nd most popular.
1966: 855th most popular.
1967: 843rd most popular.
1968: 688th most popular.
1969: 500th most popular.
1970: 467th most popular.
1971: 479th most popular.
1972: 504th most popular.
1973: 433rd most popular.
1974: 418th most popular.
1975: 371st most popular.
1976: 327th most popular.
1977: 314th most popular.
1978: 290th most popular.
1979: 223rd most popular.
1980: 217th most popular.
1981: 227th most popular.
1982: 230th most popular.
1983: 209th most popular.
1984: 180th most popular.
1985: 130th most popular.
1986: 87th most popular.
1987: 60th most popular.
1988: 46th most popular.
1989: 33rd most popular.
1990: 28th most popular.
1991: 32nd most popular.
1992: 30th most popular.
1993: 27th most popular.
1994: 27th most popular.
1995: 27th most popular.
1996: 23rd most popular.
1997: 15th most popular.
1998: 11th most popular.
1999: 11th most popular.
2000: 12th most popular.
2001: 14th most popular.
2002: 12th most popular.
2003: 14th most popular.
2004: 14th most popular.

In France...
1900-1999: N/A
2000: 167th most popular.

Popularity of Alissa:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1965: N/A
1966: 874th most popular.
1967: 701st most popular.
1968: 631st most popular.
1969: 600th most popular.
1970: 528th most popular.
1971: 544th most popular.
1972: 552nd most popular.
1973: 480th most popular.
1974: 510th most popular.
1975: 483rd most popular.
1976: 466th most popular.
1977: 408th most popular.
1978: 388th most popular.
1979: 236th most popular.
1980: 266th most popular.
1981: 286th most popular.
1982: 310th most popular.
1983: 307th most popular.
1984: 299th most popular.
1985: 299th most popular.
1986: 296th most popular.
1987: 321st most popular.
1988: 316th most popular.
1989: 289th most popular.
1990: 294th most popular.
1991: 304th most popular.
1992: 281st most popular.
1993: 270th most popular.
1994: 267th most popular.
1995: 287th most popular.
1996: 278th most popular.
1997: 249th most popular.
1998: 248th most popular.
1999: 283rd most popular.
2000: 280th most popular.
2001: 288th most popular.
2002: 303rd most popular.
2003: 296th most popular.
2004: 337th most popular.

Popularity of Allyssa:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1987: N/A
1988: 879th most popular.
1989: 896th most popular.
1990: 741st most popular.
1991: 819th most popular.
1992: 794th most popular.
1993: 845th most popular.
1994: 789th most popular.
1995: 799th most popular.
1996: 755th most popular.
1997: 748th most popular.
1998: 669th most popular.
1999: 704th most popular.
2000: 808th most popular.
2001: 849th most popular.
2002: 961st most popular.
2003-2004: N/A

Popularity of Elyssa:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1995: N/A
1996: 889th most popular.
1997: 867th most popular.
1998: 801st most popular.
1999: 865th most popular.
2000: 896th most popular.
2001: 918th most popular.
2002: 889th most popular.
2003: 926th most popular.
2004: 897th most popular.

Popularity of Alysa:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1988: N/A
1989: 1000th most popular.
1990: 959th most popular.
1991: N/A
1992: 913th most popular.
1993: 940th most popular.
1994: N/A
1995: 921st most popular.
1996: N/A
1997: 780th most popular.
1998: 790th most popular.
1999: 839th most popular.
2000: 773rd most popular.
2001: 735th most popular.
2002: 813th most popular.
2003: 860th most popular.
2004: 820th most popular.

Popularity of Alys:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880: 836th most popular.
1881-1909: N/A
1910: 996th most popular.
1911-2004: N/A

Selected Sources:
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999
The Wordsworth Dictionary of First Names, Mcleod and Fr7edman, 1995

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)