Clarissa - Why is it not more widely used?

[PitterPatter3]

Just wondering if I’m missing something as it’s sounding like a great name to me. Yet it’s only number 1785 in the latest ONS statistics.

I also like it, but wouldn't use it since I like other names. Just think it's fine.

It’s an ok name, I don’t understand people saying it’s ugly. When I think of ugly girl names I think of things like Gertrude. It’s nothing like that.
I do find it dated though, I feel the same about all the -issa names - Melissa, Carissa, Marissa. Just feel
like they belong in the 80s.

Possibly because to a certain generation Clarissa explains it all. But more likely that is just has a slightly “fussy” or hissy sound - after all names like Larissa or Marissa aren’t popular either (exception being made for Melissa in the 70’s/80’s but then Melanie was also popular then so it might have been to get the “Mel” nn).

Clara, Lara, Maria etc are more popular instead as they feel simpler and therefore a bit more classic I think.

I personally would never use it, but I can see its beauty.

There are very few names (if any) that are truly awful. It's a shame sometimes that other people's opinions influence our choices so much.

Yes, I should have said, I don’t think there is anything wrong with Clarissa as such, just everyone’s tastes are different ( I could have asked the same question about say, Claudia - why is it so underused in comparison to Lydia, Sophia, even Julia etc)

I think it’s trends. At the moment the trend seems to be shorter names - Ava, Isla, Mia, Lily, Ivy etc. with the exception of the Belle/bella names, Isabella, Isobel, Annabelle, Arabella etc. Then there are the Charlotte, Amelia, Emily type of names that are I think the closest to truly timeless.

At some point the Clarissa, Marissa, Melissa, Jessica, Alyssa, Vanessa type of names will probably come back into favour, like Nora, Nelly, Elsie, Ivy have come back now.

I think you are right that it’s the ‘ss’ sound which is currently out of favour. Clara and Camilla are both quite Clarissa-adjacent and pretty popular at the moment and the ‘ss’ is the key difference.

I love it! And the TV show was great, i would use this

Interestingly I think of Melissa, Jessica, Alyssa, etc. as very 80s. I view Clarissa in a different category though. Not sure why.

I’ve been considering it for my DD due in the autumn but don’t want to pick a name most people dislike.

Because it’s often the sister of a child with a speech impediment.

Don’t worry what other people think. Your baby, your choice! I personally draw the line at butchered spellings and made up Frankensteined names but it’s still essentially none of my business. I named my kids what I wanted and that’s my privilege as a parent.