Lisa

Lisa - A very unique female name

Lisa appeared on the charts for the first time in 1920 on position #1604. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Lisa and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Lisa? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Lisa. The baby girl name Lisa was given to 198 baby girls in 2025, ranking #1013 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,583 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Lisa peaked in popularity 64 years ago in 1962 on position 1.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Lisa, 1-5?

Lisa is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Lisa is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #561 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #1,286.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Lisa is where you live.

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Lisa origin and meaning

Short form of Elizabeth (Hebrew)

A short form of Elizabeth — Hebrew 'God is my oath'

Lisa began as a short form of Elizabeth and became a phenomenon in its own right: in 1965 over 60,000 American girls were named Lisa, making it one of the defining names of that generation. It has fallen steadily ever since and now sits just outside the top 1,000. For many parents today it is a mother's or grandmother's name, which is exactly what could eventually bring it back.

Attested etymology

Lisa is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Lisa, pop culture references for the name Lisa and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Lisa

We've found the following names that sound similar to Lisa, sorted by popularity.

Lois / Louise / Lucy / Lucia / Lacey / Leigh / Lexi / Luz / Lizzie / Lacy /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Lisa

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Lisa a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Lisa?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

LEE-suh · /ˈliːsə/

Around the world

• Lisa (German) — Used as-is in Germany as a full name
• Lisa (Italian) — Used as-is in Italy
• Lisa (Dutch) — Used as-is in the Netherlands

Spellings and nicknames

• Liza — A related short form of Elizabeth, a separate established name
• Leesa — A phonetic respelling

Nicknames: LisLise

Famous bearers

• Lisa Kudrow — American actress known for playing Phoebe in Friends (b. 1963) Contemporary
• Lisa Marie Presley — American singer and daughter of Elvis Presley (1968–2023) Contemporary

Style

ClassicShort form

Why parents choose it

Parents who choose Lisa now are usually honouring a Lisa from the peak generation, or deliberately picking a name every adult knows and no classmate has. It feels friendly and unfussy.

Worth knowing

• To most ears it still sounds like a 1960s–70s mum name — that datedness is the trade-off for its rarity now
• The Mona Lisa is a permanent, if harmless, association