Holding steady.
Popularity of Ilisa since 1956
Babies named Ilisa per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 24 |
| 1960s | 85 |
| 1970s | 43 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 13 |
| 2010s | 5 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Ilisa is an uncommon feminine name that first appeared on U.S. birth records in 1956 and reached its highest usage in 1968. It has never entered the top 1,000 nationally, reflecting its status as a relatively rare choice. The name is thought to be a modern creation, possibly derived from Elisa or Elias, and its trajectory over the decades has remained stable. Ilisa's distinctiveness and brief burst of popularity in the late 1960s align with a broader trend of invented and respelled feminine names during that era.
Ilisa appears to be a modern coinage, likely a variant or elaboration of Elisa, itself a short form of Elizabeth, or a feminine form of Elias, the Greek form of Elijah. It emerged in the United States in the mid-20th century without strong ties to an older naming tradition. Its rise and fall track with similar invented feminine names of the 1960s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Illy, Lisa, Lee
Sibling names for Ilisa
Names that share Ilisa's style, for a brother or sister.
