Cerissa
A girl's name of Latin origin with 461 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Cerissa sits in the vintage zone of American naming: first recorded in 1975, peaking in 1980, with 461 total births across its history.
The open, warm quality of its ending — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries — gives it a distinctive rhythm that pairs well with shorter middle names or surnames.
Cerissa is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Cerissa is a girl's baby name of Latin origin, likely an elaborated form of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture and grain, meaning 'to grow' or 'to create.' The -issa suffix gives it a flowing, feminine elegance.
Cerissa has a mythological depth beneath its lyrical exterior. Parents who love names like Clarissa or Carissa but want something more unusual often find Cerissa — a name that sounds beautiful while carrying ancient Roman heritage.
EtymologyShow more
Cerissa appeared in SSA records in 1975, placing it in the modern era of American naming — a period when parents increasingly began breaking from generational naming patterns, experimenting with spelling, and treating naming as a form of creative self-expression. Its Latin roots may have been the starting point, adapted or respelled to fit contemporary American tastes.
With only 461 recorded births, Cerissa has not been widely studied in naming literature — its story belongs primarily to the families who chose it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Cerissa has 26+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1975.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 8 | #12514 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 35 | #13801 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 40 | #10349 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 248 | #3956 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 130 | #3060 | — |
The Story of Cerissa
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1980, Cerissa is a Gen X staple. Girls named Cerissa are most likely born between 1975 and 1990.
How rare is Cerissa?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Cerissa is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1975, peaked in the 1980s with 248 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Cerissa by the numbers
- Would fill 10 school buses
- Meeting one Cerissa per day would take 1.3 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(26 years, 1975–2010)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 8 | #12514 |
| 2008 | 5 | #18089 |
| 2007 | 8 | #12915 |
| 2003 | 5 | #16244 |
| 2002 | 7 | #12464 |
| 2000 | 10 | #9295 |
| 1999 | 9 | #9649 |
| 1998 | 6 | #12743 |
| 1992 | 7 | #10668 |
| 1991 | 6 | #11748 |
| 1990 | 12 | #6938 |
| 1989 | 18 | #4891 |
| 1988 | 11 | #6722 |
| 1987 | 16 | #4886 |
| 1986 | 19 | #4215 |
| 1985 | 19 | #4156 |
| 1984 | 20 | #3887 |
| 1983 | 31 | #2793 |
| 1982 | 24 | #3435 |
| 1981 | 34 | #2667 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cerissa a boy's or girl's name?
When was Cerissa most popular?
How popular is the name Cerissa?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1975–2010