Meaning and background
The story behind Marissa
Marissa is a variant of Marisa used in English and Dutch. Both reference readings give emphasis to the middle part, while their vowels differ. The doubled s is therefore a choice of written form, not evidence of a new meaning. For an owner, the three-part rhythm can offer a more flowing option than a clipped nickname. Keep the chosen spelling consistent if a person is the inspiration, and avoid assuming that names sharing the opening Mari must all have the same history.
- Origin
- English and Dutch variant of Marisa. Source
Try Marissa out loud
Everyday moments“Marissa, come here!”
Say it as you would on a walk or at home. Does it feel natural alongside your usual commands and other pets’ names?
About Marissa
Recorded as a dog’s name
Marissa appears in 2 dog licence records in the 2026 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/məɹɪsə/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the second syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/məɹɪsə/ · primary stress on syllable 2M AH0 R IH1 S AH0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
Compare your favourites
Put Marissa beside another name before you decide.
Explore names like Marissa
Narrow the finder by the features you want to keep.
Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.