Charissa as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Charissa

What is the meaning of the name Charissa ?

The baby name Charissa is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /kəˈrɪsə/ (kuh-RIS-uh); sometimes /ʃəˈrɪsə/ (sha-RIS-uh).

Charissa is Greek in Origin.

Charissa blends Greek roots with English literary heritage. Ultimately linked to Greek charis, meaning “grace” or “favor,” the name was also shaped by Edmund Spenser’s portrayal of Charissa - an allegory of Charity - in The Faerie Queene (1590s). That association with the Latin caritas broadens its sense to “loving-kindness” and “charitable love,” giving Charissa a layered meaning that evokes both divine grace and benevolence.

In use in English since the early modern era, the name stayed uncommon until a modest rise in the 1970s–1990s across English-speaking countries and parts of Europe. Common variants and spellings include Carissa and Karissa; related forms are Charis and Charise, with diminutives such as Rissa, Char, and Carrie. Note that Clarissa (from Latin clarus, “bright”) and Cherise/Cerise follow different etymologies, though they are sometimes confused with Charissa.