Alyssa
Say it: uh-LISS-a/əˈlɪs.ə/
Girl6 letters3 syllables
#325
in Ireland (2025)
#329 with spellings combined
12
babies in 2025
#172
best rank (2015)
505
babies since 1991
Down 157
10-year rank change
Alyssa through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #329 |
| 2024 | 10 | #368 |
| 2023 | 11 | #335 |
| 2022 | 25 | #187 |
| 2021 | 23 | #209 |
| 2020 | 13 | #313 |
| 2019 | 20 | #236 |
| 2018 | 17 | #266 |
| 2017 | 23 | #219 |
| 2016 | 29 | #181 |
| 2015 | 33 | #172 |
| 2014 | 25 | #213 |
| 2013 | 23 | #232 |
| 2012 | 28 | #199 |
| 2011 | 20 | #258 |
| 2010 | 26 | #216 |
| 2009 | 18 | #272 |
| 2008 | 16 | #311 |
| 2007 | 24 | #212 |
| 2006 | 15 | #272 |
| 2005 | 21 | #204 |
| 2004 | 19 | #207 |
| 2003 | 12 | #279 |
| 2002 | 14 | #254 |
| 2001 | 9 | #315 |
| 2000 | 7 | #353 |
| 1999 | 5 | #393 |
| 1996 | 3 | #534 |
| 1991 | 4 | #457 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Alyssa mean?
Uncertain
English, a twentieth-century name, probably from Alicia or Elissa.
Say it right
uhLISSa
The story of Alyssa
Alyssa is a fairly new name, first used in the twentieth century. Its origin is not certain. It is most likely a new spelling of Alicia, a form of Alice that goes back to an old Germanic name, or of Elissa, another name for Dido, queen of Carthage. Because of that, it has no settled meaning of its own.
It was especially popular in the United States in the 1990s and 2000s, and it spread from there to other English-speaking countries.
In Ireland Alyssa first appears in the CSO records in 1991. It grew through the 2000s and peaked in 2015, with 33 girls and a place at number 172. It has been given less often since, with 12 girls in 2025. Northern Ireland followed a similar path, reaching number 137 in 2016.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Alyssa (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Alyssa
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Aly
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Alyssa | 12 | 505 |
In Northern Ireland
#259 in 2025 with 6 babies. Best rank #137 (2016); 217 babies since 2001.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.