Girls' name · since 1974
Nelissa
169 babies named Nelissa in U.S. Social Security records since 1974, with the highest year being 1987. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #21,567 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 169
- born since 1974
- 1980s
- peak decade
169 girls have been named Nelissa since 1974, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Nelissa recorded 169 times among girls since 1974, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1974 to 2013.
- #21,567 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 169 born since 1974
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nelissa ranks #21,567 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 169 born since 1974, peaking in the 1980s.
- #21,567 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 169
- born since 1974
- 1980s
- peak decade
Nelissa's 169 recorded births place it above 70.16% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by New York.
Nelissa's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Nelissa splits its recorded history at 1988: 46% of all births land in the more recent half, 54% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1974 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1987 peak of 12 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Nelissa popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1974–2013
- Peak year (1987)
- 12
- Annual births at peak, across 40 years of records
Nelissa by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (63 births, 37% of the file).
1980s was Nelissa's strongest decade.
63 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Nelissa births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
33 births
- 1980s
1980s
63 births
- 1990s
1990s
39 births
- 2000s
2000s
29 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 63 births (37% of all-time use).
Nelissa by state
Where Nelissa concentrates geographically, total births since 1974
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 5 | 3.0% |
5 of 169 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where does Nelissa sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Nelissa most popular? ▼
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What to do with Nelissa's data
- Nelissa's decade-level peak was the 1980s (63 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Nelissas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nelissa
Nearby Names Like Nelissa
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nelissa
Compare Nelissa side by side: Nelissa vs Nellie Nelissa vs Nell Nelissa vs Nelda
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Nelissa: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1987)
Similar record span (~39 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1974–2013 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Nelissa draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.