Larisa

Meaning & origin

Larisa first entered U.S. records in 1951 and saw its peak popularity in 1968, reflecting a mid-century interest in names of Greek and Eastern European origin. Since 1994, its usage has been in decline, aligning with a broader trend away from the more ornate classical names of that era. While never widespread, Larisa maintains a quiet presence, currently ranking 7,491 in 2025 with an estimated 1 in 114,805 newborns given the name. Its spelling variants, such as Larissa, have seen slightly more usage in some periods, but the core name remains a distinctive choice. The name is borne across diverse cultural backgrounds, though it is especially familiar in Russian and Greek communities, where it carries associations with ancient history and literature.

The name Larisa is most likely derived from the ancient Greek city of Larissa, a major city in Thessaly whose name itself is of unknown origin, possibly linked to a pre-Greek word for 'citadel'. In Greek mythology, Larisa was a nymph, daughter of the river god Peneus, and the name appears in ancient texts. It has been used in various forms across Europe, notably in Russia and Eastern Europe, where it gained popularity through 19th-century literature and folklore.