Elisa Name Meaning

Elisa Cinelli
·4 min read
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Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Elisa.

Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah Scott

Elisa is a unique, sweet-sounding name with ancient biblical origins. Today, Elisa is very common for Italian and Spanish speakers, but less so in the English-speaking world. Elisa means "God is a promise" or "God's promise."

Elisa is a diminutive of Elisabeth, a form of Elizabeth, which traces back to the Greek name Elisabet, and further back to Hebrew name Elisheva. Elisheva is derived from the roots el, meaning "God" and shava, meaning "promise."



  • Origin: Elisa is a Spanish and Italian name with ancient Hebrew origins, meaning "God is a promise" or "God's promise."

  • Gender: Elisa is frequently used as a girl's name.

  • Pronunciation: Eh-lee-sah





Editor's Note

Although many baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.



How Popular Is the Name Elisa?

Elisa has been a moderately popular name in the US since 1900. Elisa has been on the top 1,000 names for girls chart every year except 1902 when it briefly dropped off.

Although Elisa has seen varied popularity over time, it has never been a top 100 name in the US. Elisa hit its peak in the year 1981 at position 311. In 2023, Elisa ranked as the No. 421 girl’s name in the US.

Historically, the variations Eliza and Elizabeth have been much more common than Elisa in the US.

Related: Most Popular Baby Names of the '90s

Name Variations

Elisa's ancient biblical roots mean that it is used in many languages and cultures worldwide. Over the years, it has branched out linguistically into many quite different-sounding versions. In fact, Elisa's root name Elisheva and its Germanic derivative Elizabeth developed into the names Isabelle, Lillian, and their diminutives.

The following are variations of the name Elisa:

  • Elisabet (Swedish)

  • Elisabeta (Romanian)

  • Elisabete (Portuguese)

  • Elisabeth (German)

  • Elisabetta (Italian)

  • Elisavet (Greek)

  • Elisheva (Hebrew)

  • Eliska (Czech)

  • Elissa (English)

  • Eliza (English)

  • Elle (English)

  • Elsa (English)

  • Ilse (Dutch)

  • Isa (Spanish)

  • Isabella (Italian)

  • Liesa (German)

  • Liisa (Estonian)

  • Liliana (Portuguese)

  • Lisette (French)

  • Liza (English)

Similar Names

Similar-sounding names to Elisa include:

  • Alessia

  • Alesya

  • Alice

  • Alicia

  • Alida

  • Alisa

  • Alyssa

  • Elicia

  • Elise

  • Elisha

Other Italian girl names include:

  • Angelica

  • Camilla

  • Chiara

  • Gabriella

  • Ilaria

Other Spanish girl names include:

  • Luisa

  • Mercedes

  • Natalia

  • Pilar

  • Yolanda

Common Nicknames for Elisa

Elisa is already short and sweet, but here are a few nicknames to choose from:

  • E

  • Eli

  • Ellie

  • Lisa

  • Lili

  • Isa

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for Elisa? Here are some popular options:

Famous People Named Elisa

Some notable people who share the name Elisa include:

  • Élisa Bonaparte, Imperial French princess and sister of Napoleon Bonaparte

  • Elisa Carrió, Argentine lawyer, professor, and politician

  • Elisa Cegani, Italian actress

  • Elisa Christian Galvé, Argentine actress

  • Elisa Cusma, Italian former middle-distance runner who specialized in the 800 meters

  • Elisa Di Francisca, Italian foil fencer who was the Olympic champion in 2012, World champion in 2010, and three-time European champion

  • Elisa Donovan, American actress

  • Elisa Fiorillo, winner of the 1985 Star Search talent show

  • Elisa Pensler-Gabrielli, American actress and comedian known for her role as Pepper Potts in the animated movie The Invincible Iron Man

  • Elisa Godínez Gómez de Batista, First Lady of Cuba from 1940 to 1944

  • Elisa Longo Borghini, Italian professional road cyclist, who rode for UCI Women's WorldTeam Trek–Segafredo (now Lidl-Trek)

  • Elisa Montés, Spanish actress

  • Elisa Nájera Gualito, Mexican TV host, model, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Nuestra Belleza México

  • Elisa Mary Roberts, Australian politician who served with the Australian Defense Force at Victoria Barracks in Paddington from 1989 to 1993

  • Elisa Rosales Ochoa, first woman elected to the Philippine Congress in 1941

  • Elisa Toffoli, Italian singer-songwriter who writes and records mostly in English

  • Elisa Tovati, French singer, actress, and television personality

  • Princess Elisa Radziwiłł, member of Polish nobility (of the Radziwiłł family, who were elite magnates)



More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these baby name lists for even more options:



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Read the original article on Parents.