Fun Facts About the Name Illyssa
- 20 babies named Illyssa: U.S. records list 20 babies given the name Illyssa from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Illyssa Mean?
Illyssa is a modern English spelling of Alyssa, a feminine name usually explained as meaning "noble kind." Alyssa is a variant of Alicia, which comes from the Germanic name Adalheidis. That name combines adal, "noble," with heit, "kind, sort, or nature"; the "kind" in the meaning is the older sense of type or stock, not kindness. The doubled l and the y in Illyssa are spelling features, not evidence of a different root. A similar-sounding Greek word alyssa is sometimes cited in popular accounts, but it is not the usual source of the personal name.
Illyssa Name History & Origins
The name family behind Illyssa entered English through Alicia, a Latinized form of the French Alix and ultimately of Germanic Adalheidis. Adalheidis also produced Adelaide, while its French and English forms include Alice and Alicia. Alyssa emerged as an English respelling of Alicia and became familiar as a given name in the 20th century. Illyssa is a later variation on that spelling, with an initial I and a doubled l; its history is therefore tied to Alyssa rather than to an ancient name of its own.
The classical name Elissa, used for Dido of Carthage, looks similar but is a separate name with an uncertain etymology. It is not the usual source of Illyssa.
How Popular is the Name Illyssa?
Illyssa has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2008. Its best rank was #13,112 in 1989.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | #18,572 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #17,107 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #14,321 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #13,112 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with I
How the Name Illyssa Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You like to use the pen or the needle (writing, fashion design etc). You are loving, compassionate, intuitive and humanitarian. Runs of luck, either good or bad, follow you. You are sympathetic, but at times might be touchy and oversensitive. You may have a gift for writing. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Illyssa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Illyssa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.