Alisa is a Hebrew name meaning "great happiness" — a variant of Aliza or Elisa that has been used across Jewish, Russian, and Eastern European communities for generations. With 34,578 SSA records and a 1970 peak, Alisa was a genuinely popular name for a sustained period and is now in the quiet phase that follows mainstream use: not rare, not trendy, simply solid and lovely and waiting for its next moment.
Three Traditions, One Sound
Alisa functions in at least three distinct naming traditions. In Ashkenazi Jewish communities, it connects to the Hebrew Aliza, meaning joy or happiness. In Russian and Eastern European families, it's a variant of Alissa, itself a form of Alice derived from the Old French/Old German Aalis. In Spanish-speaking communities, it sits alongside Elisa as a lyrical, feminine name. This multicultural portability is one of Alisa's quiet strengths. Hebrew names that also function naturally in other linguistic contexts have a particular durability in American naming.
The Alice Family
Alice, Alicia, Alisa, Alyssa, Alissa — these names are fundamentally related through the Old German Adalheidis (noble kind), with each spelling and variant reflecting a different era's preference. Alisa's peak in 1970 makes it a parent or grandparent name for most families today. That generation-gap quality is exactly what makes it interesting for revival. Compare Alisa and Alyssa to see two cousins with very different timing.
The Counter-Reading: Between Two Spellings
Alisa exists in a slightly awkward middle position — not quite Alyssa (far more common in SSA data), not quite Aliza (more distinctively Hebrew). The result is that it will be written as Alyssa half the time and spoken as Alisa correctly only when the speaker already knows it. Parents who love the name should decide whether the elegant simplicity of Alisa is worth the constant small correction. Revival names from the 1970s are moving through a second consideration cycle right now.