Carissa as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Carissa

What is the meaning of the name Carissa ?

The baby name Carissa is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced kuh-RIS-uh (IPA: /kəˈrɪsə/).

Carissa is Greek in Origin.

Carissa is an English feminine given name linked to the Greek root charis, meaning “grace” or “kindness,” most directly through Charissa, a classical/early modern elaboration of Charis. It is also commonly associated with Latin and Italian cara, “dear” or “beloved,” so the name is often read as carrying both senses: grace and beloved. Some etymologists view it as a modern blend of Cara and Clarissa.

In English records it appears sporadically in the 19th century, gained steady use in the mid-20th century, and peaked in the United States during the 1980s–90s alongside -issa names. Literary influence flows from Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, which features Charissa (personified Charity). Common variants include Charissa, Karissa, Carisa, and Karisa; short forms are Cari/Carrie, Rissa, and Issa. Related names are Cara, Carina, Carys, and Charisse/Cherise.