The story behind Elissa
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἔλῐσσᾰ (Élĭssă); probably from Phoenician 𐤀𐤋𐤀𐤎𐤕 (ʾlʾst /Elishat/), 𐤀𐤋𐤀𐤎 (ʾlʾs /Elisha/).
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /əˈlɪs.ə/
Regional pronunciation variants
- English; dialect unspecified: /ɪˈ-/
- less often: /əˈli(ː)s.ə/
Popularity
Elissa ranked #1848 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Elissa
Elaina
A female given name from Ancient Greek, of modern usage, variant of Elaine.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Electra
From Ancient Greek Ἠλέκτρα (Ēléktra), from ἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron, “amber”), related to ἠλέκτωρ (ēléktōr, “shining sun”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Elena
Borrowed from Italian and Spanish Elena, cognate to English Helen. Variant of Helena, possibly from Italian Elena and/or Spanish Elena. From Italian and Spanish Elena. From…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Elettra
From Ancient Greek ἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron, “amber”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Elia
From Biblical Hebrew אליהו ('Eliyáhu, literally “Yahweh is my god”). Inherited from Latin Ēliās, with Greek accentation. Inherited from Latin or Borrowed from Latin Hēlia,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Elżbieta
Learned borrowing from Latin Elisabētha. Doublet of Izabela.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Elissa
Bairbre
From Latin Barbara (name of a legendary saint), feminine form of barbarus, from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “strange, foreign”). Cognate with Scottish Gaelic Barabal and…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Bartolomej
Derived from Ancient Greek Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaîos).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends J
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Bartoloměj
Inherited from Old Czech Bartoloměj.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends J
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Elissa
Aarón
a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Aaron
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abdiasz
Learned borrowing from Latin Abdias, from Ancient Greek Ἀβδίας (Abdías), from Hebrew עובדיה.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Z
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abel
English Abel From Middle English Abel, from Old English Ābel, from Latin Abel, from Ancient Greek Ἅβελ (Hábel), from Biblical Hebrew הֶבֶל (Héḇel, “Abel”), possibly from the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length