US Popularity Rank: 2745

Origin: Greek

Meaning: citadel

Larissa is a girl's name of Greek origin thought to derive from the ancient city of the same name. Meaning "citadel," Larissa, or Lárissa, was once the seat of the Aleuadae clan whose founder Aleuas, claimed descent from Hercules. And so the tone was set for Thessaly's largest city, beckoning the learned minds of Hippocrates and the noble poet Pindar. A haven for creativity and silken cloths, the city also shares its name with the nymph, Larissa, infusing the title with an air of mythos. Today the name continues to evoke the same fascinating allure, personified by its bestowal upon one of Neptune's moons.