Lisa Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: LEE-sah /ˈliːsə/
Origin: Hebrew; Latin; English
Meaning: Hebrew: God's promise; Latin: devoted to God
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Lisa is derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, which means "God is my oath." This name was adapted into Greek as Elisabet and subsequently into Latin as Elisabeth. The name underwent further transformation in various languages, eventually leading to the diminutive form Lisa, which emerged in the 19th century as a standalone name in English-speaking countries.
The evolution of Lisa reflects a common linguistic practice of shortening longer names, making them more accessible and familiar in everyday use. Historically, the name Elisabeth has significant biblical roots, as it appears in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist.
This association with a prominent biblical figure has contributed to the name's enduring presence in Christian cultures. The name Elisabeth was popularized in Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly through the veneration of several saints named Elisabeth, including Saint Elisabeth of Hungary, who lived in the 13th century and is celebrated for her charitable works.
Culturally, the name Lisa has been associated with various artistic and literary figures, further embedding it in the cultural consciousness. For instance, Lisa is famously linked to Leonardo da Vinci's painting, the Mona Lisa, which has become an iconic representation of beauty and mystery in Western art.
The name also carries connotations of grace and simplicity, which have contributed to its lasting appeal across generations. While Lisa is often seen as a diminutive of Elisabeth, it has developed its own identity and significance, resonating with themes of devotion and femininity throughout its history.
Famous people named Lisa
In this section, you will find notable people named Lisa. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Lisa who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Lisa who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Lisa Kudrow is an actress best known for Friends, The Comeback, and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.
Lisa Marie Presley is a singer-songwriter best known for her albums To Whom It May Concern, Now What, and Storm & Grace.
Lisa Bonet is an actress best known for The Cosby Show, A Different World, and High Fidelity.
Lisa Ling is a journalist best known for The View, Our America with Lisa Ling, and This Is Life with Lisa Ling.
Lisa Vanderpump is a television personality best known for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Vanderpump Rules, and her work in animal rights activism.
Lisa Rinna is an actress best known for Days of Our Lives, Melrose Place, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Lisa Jackson is an author best known for her works in the genre of suspense and thriller, including the New Orleans series.
Fictional characters named Lisa
The following list of fictional characters named Lisa is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Lisa Simpson is a fictional character from the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the intelligent and politically aware daughter of Homer and Marge Simpson, often serving as the voice of reason in her family.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Lisa, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Lisa. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Lisa was first seen in the United States in 1886.
Lisa has ranked as high as #6 nationally, which occurred in 1965, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Lisa has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Lisa is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Lisa was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Lisa (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 34 | |
| TX | 26 | |
| FL | 20 | |
| NY | 19 | |
| PA | 14 | |
| IN | 13 | |
| NC | 12 | |
| OH | 8 | |
| KY | 6 | |
| SC | 6 | |
| MN | 6 | |
| VA | 6 | |
| NJ | 6 | |
| GA | 6 | |
| IL | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Lisa.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 262 |
| 2023 | 315 |
| 2022 | 290 |
| 2021 | 248 |
| 2020 | 243 |
| 2019 | 276 |
| 2018 | 308 |
| 2017 | 309 |
| 2016 | 345 |
| 2015 | 374 |
| 2014 | 378 |
| 2013 | 354 |
| 2012 | 398 |
| 2011 | 396 |
| 2010 | 396 |
| 2009 | 420 |
| 2008 | 509 |
| 2007 | 525 |
| 2006 | 609 |
| 2005 | 619 |
| 2004 | 710 |
| 2003 | 811 |
| 2002 | 830 |
| 2001 | 908 |
| 2000 | 1,088 |
| 1999 | 1,113 |
| 1998 | 1,364 |
| 1997 | 1,546 |
| 1996 | 1,864 |
| 1995 | 2,236 |
| 1994 | 2,564 |
| 1993 | 3,223 |
| 1992 | 3,781 |
| 1991 | 4,395 |
| 1990 | 5,347 |
| 1989 | 6,574 |
| 1988 | 7,267 |
| 1987 | 7,549 |
| 1986 | 7,906 |
| 1985 | 9,015 |
| 1984 | 10,237 |
| 1983 | 11,471 |
| 1982 | 12,637 |
| 1981 | 14,295 |
| 1980 | 15,666 |
| 1979 | 17,285 |
| 1978 | 17,034 |
| 1977 | 17,013 |
| 1976 | 17,348 |
| 1975 | 18,139 |
| 1974 | 19,777 |
| 1973 | 22,673 |
| 1972 | 27,543 |
| 1971 | 32,910 |
| 1970 | 38,965 |
| 1969 | 45,028 |
| 1968 | 49,533 |
| 1967 | 52,436 |
| 1966 | 56,918 |
| 1965 | 60,269 |
| 1964 | 54,271 |
| 1963 | 56,040 |
| 1962 | 46,074 |
| 1961 | 42,719 |
| 1960 | 33,695 |
| 1959 | 25,702 |
| 1958 | 20,200 |
| 1957 | 15,140 |
| 1956 | 11,012 |
| 1955 | 8,539 |
| 1954 | 5,913 |
| 1953 | 3,602 |
| 1952 | 2,842 |
| 1951 | 1,698 |
| 1950 | 1,175 |
| 1949 | 596 |
| 1948 | 468 |
| 1947 | 423 |
| 1946 | 327 |
| 1945 | 250 |
| 1944 | 193 |
| 1943 | 162 |
| 1942 | 124 |
| 1941 | 92 |
| 1940 | 89 |
| 1939 | 77 |
| 1938 | 79 |
| 1937 | 53 |
| 1936 | 47 |
| 1935 | 31 |
| 1934 | 32 |
| 1933 | 21 |
| 1932 | 40 |
| 1931 | 28 |
| 1930 | 32 |
| 1929 | 22 |
| 1928 | 12 |
| 1927 | 14 |
| 1926 | 31 |
| 1925 | 13 |
| 1924 | 23 |
| 1923 | 15 |
| 1922 | 15 |
| 1921 | 17 |
| 1920 | 17 |
| 1919 | 14 |
| 1918 | 14 |
| 1917 | 13 |
| 1916 | 11 |
| 1915 | 14 |
| 1914 | 12 |
| 1913 | 16 |
| 1912 | 7 |
| 1911 | 9 |
| 1910 | 9 |
| 1907 | 7 |
| 1905 | 5 |
| 1904 | 9 |
| 1899 | 7 |
| 1896 | 5 |
| 1886 | 6 |