Karissa
Girl name · #2912 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Karissa? In official American birth records, Karissa has been tracked continuously since 1961, giving it 64 years of documented American history.
Karissa ranks #2912 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 58 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1247, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 31,034 girls born in 2025 was named Karissa.
The 64-year story
Karissa first appears in the Social Security records in 1961, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1991, when 901 girls were named Karissa — good for #306 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Karissa per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Karissa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karissa in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Karissa is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Karissa will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Karissa is most common
State-level data for Karissa is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Karissa
Statistically, parents drawn to Karissa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carissa, Marissa, Larissa, Alissa, and Clarissa.
CarissaMarissaLarissaAlissaClarissaKayshaElyssaKaila
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karissa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 58 | #2895 |
| 2024 | 67 | #2607 |
| 2023 | 63 | #2730 |
| 2022 | 72 | #2490 |
| 2021 | 75 | #2384 |
| 2020 | 108 | #1818 |
| 2019 | 106 | #1888 |
| 2018 | 110 | #1840 |
| 2017 | 137 | #1591 |
| 2016 | 167 | #1394 |
| 2015 | 196 | #1247 |
| 2014 | 203 | #1198 |
| 2013 | 260 | #968 |
| 2012 | 304 | #876 |
| 2011 | 323 | #821 |
| 2010 | 378 | #736 |
| 2009 | 337 | #831 |
| 2008 | 362 | #798 |
| 2007 | 449 | #658 |
| 2006 | 471 | #616 |
| 2005 | 474 | #598 |
| 2004 | 523 | #546 |
| 2003 | 660 | #454 |
| 2002 | 621 | #459 |
| 2001 | 551 | #499 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Karissa?
In official American birth records, the name Karissa first appeared in 1961 (over 64 years ago), when 8 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 64 years.
Is Karissa a popular girl name?
Karissa ranked #2912 among girls in 2025 with 58 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1247.
When was the name Karissa most popular?
Karissa peaked in 1991, when 901 American girls received the name (ranked #306 that year). Since 1991 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karissa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 31,034 newborn American girls was named Karissa. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.