Lisa
Say it: LEE-sa/ˈliːsə/
GirlMeans a short form of Elizabeth, which means "my God is an oath"4 letters2 syllables
#443
in Ireland (2025)
#435 with spellings combined
8
babies in 2025
#3
best rank (1984)
13,462
babies since 1964
Down 119
10-year rank change
Lisa through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #435 |
| 2024 | 12 | #321 |
| 2023 | 12 | #313 |
| 2022 | 10 | #384 |
| 2021 | 10 | #389 |
| 2020 | 11 | #355 |
| 2019 | 6 | #546 |
| 2018 | 12 | #358 |
| 2017 | 12 | #343 |
| 2016 | 11 | #392 |
| 2015 | 15 | #316 |
| 2014 | 16 | #304 |
| 2013 | 20 | #255 |
| 2012 | 28 | #199 |
| 2011 | 40 | #150 |
| 2010 | 30 | #200 |
| 2009 | 31 | #193 |
| 2008 | 40 | #155 |
| 2007 | 49 | #121 |
| 2006 | 58 | #97 |
| 2005 | 62 | #93 |
| 2004 | 61 | #91 |
| 2003 | 76 | #64 |
| 2002 | 93 | #55 |
| 2001 | 93 | #55 |
| 2000 | 93 | #47 |
| 1999 | 97 | #47 |
| 1998 | 88 | #47 |
| 1997 | 200 | #29 |
| 1996 | 202 | #30 |
| 1995 | 245 | #21 |
| 1994 | 260 | #22 |
| 1993 | 316 | #13 |
| 1992 | 403 | #12 |
| 1991 | 394 | #12 |
| 1990 | 503 | #8 |
| 1989 | 511 | #5 |
| 1988 | 581 | #4 |
| 1987 | 593 | #5 |
| 1986 | 542 | #8 |
| 1985 | 552 | #7 |
| 1984 | 666 | #3 |
| 1983 | 605 | #6 |
| 1982 | 649 | #5 |
| 1981 | 629 | #5 |
| 1980 | 586 | #6 |
| 1979 | 536 | #6 |
| 1978 | 466 | #10 |
| 1977 | 382 | #15 |
| 1976 | 382 | #18 |
| 1975 | 361 | #19 |
| 1974 | 402 | #17 |
| 1973 | 358 | #20 |
| 1972 | 290 | #25 |
| 1971 | 254 | #28 |
| 1970 | 161 | #54 |
| 1969 | 126 | #60 |
| 1968 | 119 | #61 |
| 1967 | 41 | #135 |
| 1966 | 29 | #154 |
| 1965 | 13 | #209 |
| 1964 | 11 | #222 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Lisa mean?
A short form of Elizabeth, which means "my God is an oath"
A short form of Elisabeth, used in several European languages.
Say it right
LEEsa
LEE-za is also heard.
The story of Lisa
Lisa began as a short form of Elisabeth in several European languages, including German and Italian. Elizabeth goes back to the Hebrew Elisheba, usually explained as “my God is an oath”. Lisa came into use as a full name in its own right in the early twentieth century.
Its great wave came later. It was very popular in the United States in the 1960s and in Britain in the 1970s, and it arrived in Ireland at much the same time.
Lisa was one of the defining Irish girls’ names of the 1980s. It reached number 3 in 1984, when 666 girls were named Lisa, its busiest year. It declined steadily from the 1990s, and in 2025 there were 8 girls with the name.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Lisa (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Lisa (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Lisa | 8 | 13,462 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #63 (1997); 240 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.