Lisa Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

Lisa Name Meaning and Origin

Lisa is a name that was highly common among our mothers and aunts. However, you may have noticed that babies with the name Lisa are extremely rare, implying the dwindling popularity of the name. This fails to do justice to the beautiful meaning and origin of the name, which has Biblical and cultural connotations.

What Does Lisa Mean?

A shortened form of Elizabeth, Lisa is a name with immense Biblical and religious significance. With Hebrew and English origins, the meanings of Lisa are “God is bountiful,” “God’s oath,” and “Promise of God.” The name also means “Bearer of God’s Light.” Similarly, the Swedish origin of the similar name, Lysa, means “Light.” Regardless of its origin, Lisa denotes hope through God’s will or bestowing light upon others.

Origin

The name Lisa, Elisabeth, or Elizabeth, has spiritual roots, especially in Hebrew, where Elisheba, the original version of the name, refers to the flower Lily. The shortened version of Elisabeth or Elizabeth, the name has roots in English, Greek, and German cultures. Although it had initially been a shortened version of the name, its independent usage has increased with people naming their kids Lisa rather than using it as a nickname. The Biblical significance of the name makes it a popular choice among Christians.

Gender

Female

Pronunciation

  • Lee-sah
  • Ly-sah

Syllables

2 syllables

Length/Letter

4 letters

Name Variations/Spellings

Different cultures have different trends regarding spellings and variations of the name Lisa. Other spellings for Lisa give insight into the cultural significance of the same name across multiple religions, nationalities, and cultures. Following are some Lisa name variations found in other cultures:

Name Origin
Lysa Swedish
Liza Hebrew/American
Elizabeth/Elisabeth Hebrew
Eliza Hebrew
Leesa Hebrew
Lisha African
Liesa Hebrew/Greek
Lisette Hebrew
Lissa Dutch/African
Lesa Celtic – Gaelic

How Popular Is the Name Lisa?

The name Lisa has been decreasing in popularity over the last few decades. Experiencing explosive popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, it became the most popular girls’ name from 1962 to 1969. Lisa’s popularity index denotes that the name was popular till the mid-1980s in the US, after which it started experiencing a gradual fall in popular baby name rankings. According to data provided by the Social Security Administration, as of 2020, Lisa does not even fall within the 1000 most popular names for babies. Lisa baby name ranking was at 955 in 2019, after which data has not been made available.

Global search trends for the name have also been dwindling over the last ten years, with a slight increase in 2013, 2016, and 2020. This can mainly be attributed to people searching for famous stars by this name, such as Lisa Manoban of the K-pop girl group BlackPink. While interest in the name Lisa has decreased, the arrival of such global stars can help in catapulting the name to popularity once again. Due to the young age of such influencers, the younger generation may feel interested in naming their children Lisa in the future.

Interest in Lisa – Worldwide

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50 in the popularity scale, reaching 100 in October 2011 and August 2013. The lowest record of popularity through search was recorded in March 2020 at just 58.Over the last ten years, search trend for the name Lisa has recorded a consistent score above

Interest in Lisa – US

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In terms of search trend over the last ten years in the US, peak popularity of 100 was recorded in Oct 2011 only. This was followed by a popularity scale of 93 in August 2013, while the lowest record in the popularity scale was observed at 49 in March 2020 and March 2021.

Popularity of name Lisa

URL: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

Where Is the Name Most Searched?

Search trends of Lisa Worldwide

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Search trends show that the name has been searched the most in Sweden in the last 10 years, followed by in Ireland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Austria, and the United States, rounding up the Top 5 countries. The cultural significance of Lysa in the Swedish culture can be assumed to be a major reason for people considering the name Lisa as a baby name.

Search trends of Lisa in the US

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New York is the metro city in the US where the most searches for the name Lisa have been recorded over the last 10 years. Following this, metro cities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania make the top 5 metro cities in the US where search trends for Lisa have been the highest.

Middle Names That Go With Lisa

Choosing middle names that sound fluid and suitable with Lisa is also important to maintain the overall beauty of your child’s name and ensure that you can preserve the beautiful meaning of the name Lisa. Some of the double names with Lisa that you can choose for your baby include:

Bea Mae/May
Beth Marie
Day Noelle
Drew Paige
Ellen Quinn
Grace Rae
Hope Raine
Jade Rose
Jean Rue
Joy Zoe

Famous People Named Lisa

Famous celebrities named Lisa have helped in increasing the popularity of the name slightly in recent years. Due to its classic origins and beautiful meaning, it is expected to regain popularity or become more widely used as a middle name.

Celebrity Name Profession/Famous For
Lisa Simpson Character from The Simpsons
Lisa Kudrow American Actress
Lisa Manoban K-Pop Singer and Dancer
Lisa Marie Presley Daughter of Elvis Presley; Musician
Lisa Edelstein American Actress
Lisa Raymond Professional Tennis Player
Lisa Niemi Widow of Patrick Swayze; Writer; Actress
Lisa Lopes American Musician – Rapper
Lisa Ray Canadian Actress
Lisa Haydon Indian Actress
Lisa Bonet American Actress
Lisa Sthalekar Australian Cricketer

Similar Names & Last Names

Baby names like Lisa can be found in a huge variety of first names, middle names, and last names. There are also a number of family names for Lisa that suit the name specifically. Other names for Lisa include:

Similar Baby Names Suitable Family Names
Liz Smith
Lisel Jenkins
Licey Lindberg
Linares Harvey
Lilly Williams
Ally Brown
Leslie Evans
Lassie Taylor
Misha Gibson

Names That Sound Like Lisa

There are a number of variations and similar-sounding names that rhyme with Lisa. Using such names can help you give your baby girl a unique name that also touches upon the religious significance of Lisa while adopting a modern alternative.

Lisandro Alisha
Lucio Alice
Louis Eloise
Louise Eliza
Luis Lacey
Lizzie Lila
Lois Liesel
Lucia Melissa
Lisabette Elisha
Liya Lyla

Sibling Names Related To Lisa

Choosing suitable sibling names that go with Lisa is also important to ensure that all your children have related names that complement each other. The following list provides ideas for suitable sister names and brother names for Lisa:

Sister Names for Lisa Brother Names for Lisa
Abby Joe
Lexi Alex
Mia Jordan
Jennie Zack/Zac
Sophie Michael
Ava Jayden
Izzie Liam
Zenia Noah
Daisy Lucas
April Mateo

Nicknames For Lisa

Nicknames are a great way of calling your child affectionately without calling them by their proper name. For the name Lisa, there are many nicknames that you can use to address your child in informal settings affectionately.

Lili Lala
Lilly Lulu
Lissie Lasi
Lola Lees
Lee Issa
Li Asil
Lis Ellie

The name Lisa has a lot of significance across different cultures and countries, primarily relating to Biblical origins. In this regard, although Lisa’s popularity has dropped since the 1960s and 1970s, it can regain popularity through young influencers and celebrities named Lisa. Thus, it can become popular as a first or a middle name for girls in western cultures.

Sources/References

Social Security Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
Lisa Name Popularity in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-07-10&geo=US&q=lisa
Lisa Name Popularity Across The World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-07-10&q=lisa
Lisa Name Interest in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-07-10&geo=US&q=lisa
Lisa Name Interest Across The World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-07-10&q=lisa

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Ruchelle has a vast experience working with clients in hospitality, health and wellness, entertainment, real estate, and retail. She aims to utilise her learnings to deliver quality content which will in turn help drive sales and customer engagement.