Larissa () is a female given name of

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

origin that is common in Eastern European nations of

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

church heritage. It is derived either from

Larissa Larissa (; , , ) is the capital and largest city of the Thessaly region in Greece. It is the fifth-most populous city in Greece with a population of 148,562 in the city proper, according to the 2021 census. It is also the capital of the Larissa ...

, a

nymph A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...

Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...

who was a daughter of

Pelasgus In Greek mythology, Pelasgus (, ''Pelasgós'' means "ancient") was the eponymous ancestor of the Pelasgians, the mythical inhabitants of Greece who established the worship of the Dodonaean Zeus, Hephaestus, the Cabeiri, and other divinities. In the ...

, or from the name of the ancient city of

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

which meant "citadel" or "fortress" in a now extinct

Pre-Greek substrate The pre-Greek substrate (or substratum) consists of the unknown pre-Greek language or languages (either Pre-Indo-European languages, Pre-Indo-European or other Indo-European languages) spoken in prehistoric Greece prior to the emergence of the Pr ...

language. The name was later borne by the Christian martyr of the fourth century Saint Larissa. The name is spelled Λάρισα in

modern Greek Modern Greek (, or , ), generally referred to by speakers simply as Greek (, ), refers collectively to the dialects of the Greek language spoken in the modern era, including the official standardized form of the language sometimes referred to ...

and Лариса in

Cyrillic The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking countries in Southeastern Europe, Ea ...

, and based on either may also be Latinised as Larisa. It is used in Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian and Latvian languages. In 2009, Larisa was the 21st most common name for girls born in Romania. A Russian short form is

Lara Lara may refer to: People * Lara (name), can be a given name or a surname in several languages * Lara (mythology), a naiad nymph, daughter of the river Almo in Ovid's ''Fasti'' Places *Lara (state), a state in Venezuela * Electoral district ...

, made famous through

Boris Pasternak Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (30 May 1960) was a Russian and Soviet poet, novelist, composer, and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pasternak's first book of poems, ''My Sister, Life'', was published in Berlin in 1922 and soon became an imp ...

's novel '' Doctor Zhivago'' (1957).

People named Larissa

* Saint Larissa (died c.375), early martyr venerated by the

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

and

Russian Orthodox The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC; ;), also officially known as the Moscow Patriarchate (), is an autocephaly, autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Christian church. It has 194 dioceses inside Russia. The Primate (bishop), p ...

churches *

Larissa Behrendt Larissa Yasmin Behrendt (born 1969) is an Australian legal academic, writer, filmmaker and Indigenous rights advocate. she is a professor of law and director of research and academic programs at the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education ...

(born 1969), Australian legal academic, writer, filmmaker and Indigenous rights advocate * Larissa Burak (born 1968), Ukrainian-Australian bandurist and mezzo-soprano singer *

Larissa Crummer Larissa Rose Crummer (born 10 January 1996) is a retired Australian professional soccer player who last played as a forward for Brann in the Toppserien. She also played for Australia women's national team, also known as the Matildas. She previ ...

(born 1996), Australian footballer * Larissa Fiallo (born 1983), Miss Dominican Republic in the 2004 Miss Universe pageant *

Larissa França Larissa França Maestrini (born April 14, 1982) is a Brazilian beach volleyball player. She is the all-time leader of beach volleyball titles, with 57 FIVB career gold medals, including the 2011 Beach Volleyball World Championships with Juliana ...

(born 1982), Brazilian beach volleyball player * Larissa Giddings (born 1972), Australian politician *

Larissa Iapichino Larissa Iapichino (; born 18 July 2002) is an Italian long jumper who won silver medals at the 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships, 2023 European Indoor Championships and 2024 European Athletics Championships, 2024 European Athletics Ou ...

(born 2002), Italian female long jumper *

Larissa Kalaus Larissa Kalaus (born 24 June 1996) is a Croatian handballer for Kisvárdai KC and the Croatian national team. She participated at the 2018 European Women's Handball Championship and the 2020 European Women's Handball Championship where Croatia t ...

(born 1996), Croatian handball player *

Larissa Kaur Larissa Kaur (née Lazareva; born 31 October 1941) is an Estonian dancer. Kaur was born in Baku, Azerbaijan of mixed Greek and Ukrainian heritage. She graduated from the Tallinn Choreography School (Jelena Izerovič's class) in 1959, then trai ...

(born 1941), Estonian ballerina *

Larissa Kelly Larissa Kelly (born February 10, 1980) is an American writer and academic who is known for her six-game streak on the U.S. game show ''Jeopardy!''. Biography Kelly grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and attended Newton North High School where she h ...

(born 1980), American scholar and ''

Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead g ...

'' winner *

Larissa Lai Larissa Lai (born 1967) is an American-born Canadian novelist and literary critic. She is a recipient of the 2018 Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction and Lambda Literary Foundation's 2020 Jim Duggins, PhD Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist Pr ...

(born 1967), Canadian writer, critic and professor *

Larissa Adler Lomnitz Larissa Adler Lomnitz ( Milstein; 17 June 1932 - 13 April 2019) was a French-born Chilean-Mexican social anthropologist, researcher, professor, and academic. After living in France, Colombia, and Israel, she received Chilean nationality by marria ...

(1932–2019), French-born Chilean-Mexican social anthropologist * Larissa Lowing (born 1973), Canadian artistic gymnast * Larissa de Macedo Machado, professionally known as

Anitta Anitta may refer to: *Anitta (king), Hittite king *Anitta (singer) Larissa de Macedo Machado (born 30 March 1993), known professionally as Anitta (), is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and occasional television host. One of Br ...

, Brazilian singer *

Larissa Manoela Larissa Manoela Elias Frambach (; born Larissa Manoela Taques Elias Santos; 28 December 2000) is a Brazilian actress, singer, writer, model, voice actress and businesswoman, one of the most famous children's and teen audiovisual celebrities, ha ...

(born 2000), Brazilian actress and singer * Larissa-Antonia Marolt (born 1992), Austrian fashion model *

Larissa Meek Larissa Meek is a former beauty queen who has competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA pageants and a reality television personality who starred in '' Average Joe: Hawaii''. Pageants In 1996 Meek won the Miss Missouri Teen USA 1997 title and c ...

(born 1978), American model and beauty queen *

Larissa Mondrus Larisa Izrailevna Mondrus (, , ; born 15 November 1943) is a Soviet singer (soprano), who was popular in the USSR in the 1960s. In 1973 she emigrated to West Germany. She sang in Latvian, Russian, English and German. Biography Mondrus was born i ...

(born 1943), German stage name of Soviet expatriate singer * Larissa Riquelme (born 1985), Paraguayan model and actress *

Larissa Tago Takeda is a Japanese voice actress from Aichi Prefecture, Japan. She is affiliated with I'm Enterprise. Early life Takeda's parents are third-generation Japanese-Brazilians. Her maternal surname is Takeda, her paternal surname is Tago, her personal ...

, Japanese-Brazilian voice actress *

Larissa Tudor Larissa Feodorovna Tudor (died July 18, 1926) was the wife of Owen Frederick Morton Tudor, an officer of the 3rd (The King's Own) Hussars. Following her death, it was rumoured that she was in truth Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia, ...

(died 1926), woman rumored to be Grand Duchess Tatiana of Russia *

Larissa Volokhonsky Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky are literary translators best known for their collaborative English translations of classic Russian literature. Individually, Pevear has also translated into English works from French, Italian, and Greek. The ...

(born 1945), Russian-born translator *

Larissa Werbicki Larissa Werbicki (born 28 June 1996) is a Canadian rower. Career Werbicki won a bronze medal at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in the coxless pairs event alongside Caileigh Filmer and a silver medal at the 2014 World Rowing Junior Championshi ...

(born 1996), Canadian rower

People named Larisa

* Larysa Kosach (better known as

Lesya Ukrainka Lesya Ukrainka (, ; born Larysa Petrivna Kosach, ; – ) was one of Ukrainian literature's foremost writers, best known for her poems and plays. She was also an active political, civil, and feminist activist. Among her best-known works are ...

, 1871–1913), Ukrainian poet, writer and playwright *

Larisa Bergen Larisa Abramovna Bergen (; 22 September 1949 — 7 April 2023) was a volleyball player for the USSR. She was Jewish, and was born in Nur-Sultan, Akmolinsk, Kazakh SSR. Bergen played for ADK Alma-Ata and VC Dynamo Moscow, Dynamo Moscow. She wo ...

(1949–2023), Soviet Olympic volleyball player *

Larisa Blazic Larisa Blazic (born 1970) is a British video installation artist and a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Media, Arts and Design, University of Westminster' with an interdisciplinary approach towards architecture and art. Biography Larisa Blazic ...

(born 1970), British video installation artist and academic * Larisa Dolina (born 1955), Russian singer and actress * Larisa Dumansky, Ukrainian woman who has been missing since 1994 * Larisa Gribaleva (born 1973), Belarusian singer, TV presenter and actress *

Larisa Guzeyeva Larisa Andreyevna Guzeyeva (; born 23 May 1959) is a Soviet and Russian theater and film actress and television host. She is a Meritorious Artist of Russia and honored artist of the Russian Federation in 1994. She is a member of the public organiz ...

(born 1959), Soviet and Russian actress and television host *

Larisa Iordache Larisa Andreea Iordache (; born 19 June 1996) is a Romanians, Romanian former Artistic gymnastics, artistic gymnast. She represented Romania at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Romania at the 2012 Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal with the team, a ...

(born 1996), Romanian artist gymnast *

Larisa Latynina Larisa Semyonovna Latynina (, née Diriy, Дирий; born 27 December 1934) is a Russian former artistic gymnast. Between 1956 and 1964 she won 14 List of multiple Olympic medalists, individual Olympic medals and four team medals for the Sovie ...

(born 1934), Russian-Ukrainian former Soviet gymnast * Larisa Maksimova (1943–2025), Russian mathematical logician *

Larisa Neiland Larisa Savchenko-Neiland (, ; née Savchenko; also Larisa Neiland; born 21 July 1966) is a tennis coach and former professional player who represented the Soviet Union and Latvia. A former world No. 1 doubles player, Neiland won six Grand Slam t ...

(born 1966), Latvian tennis player *

Larisa Oleynik Larisa Romanovna Oleynik (; born June 7, 1981) is an American actress. Oleynik began her career as a child actor, first appearing onstage as young Cosette in a national touring production of ''Les Misérables'' (1989–1991). She was subseque ...

(born 1981), American actress *

Larisa Petrik Larisa Leonidovna Petrik (; born 28 August 1949) is a former Russian gymnast and Olympic champion. Petrik competed at the 1966 World Championships where she shared the team silver medal (gold went to the Czechoslovaks) and earned an individual b ...

(born 1949), Soviet gymnast *

Larisa Ratushnaya Larisa Ratushnaya (; 9 January 1921 – 18 March 1944) was a Soviet partisan and underground resistance fighter. She was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 8 May 1965 twenty years after the end of the war. Early life Ra ...

(1921–1944), Hero of the Soviet Union *

Larisa Shepitko Larisa Yefimovna Shepitko (, ; 6 January 1938 – 2 July 1979) was a Soviet film director and screenwriter of Ukrainian origin. She is considered one of the best female directors of all time, with her film '' The Ascent'' being the second film ...

(1938–1979), Soviet film director *

Larisa Shoigu Larisa Kuzhugetovna Shoigu (; 21 January 1953 – 10 June 2021) was a Russian politician. She served as a Deputy of the State Duma for its 5th, 6th and 7th convocations, between 2007 and 2021. Born into a family involved in regional politic ...

(1953–2021), Russian politician

Notes

{{given name Feminine given names Latvian feminine given names Romanian feminine given names Russian feminine given names Ukrainian feminine given names French feminine given names English feminine given names Spanish feminine given names Italian feminine given names Portuguese feminine given names Polish feminine given names Icelandic feminine given names