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Larissa

Girl name · 130 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Larissa: 130 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 8 births in 1999.

The name Larissa has ancient Greek origins, most likely derived from Larisa, a city in Thessaly whose name meant “citadel” in the pre-Hellenic tongue. In Greek mythology, Larissa was a beautiful nymph, daughter of the sea god Poseidon. Among its most famous bearers is Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina, who held the record for most Olympic medals by any athlete for nearly five decades. The name is also shared with a moon of Neptune, discovered in 1981. Beyond the original Greek city, Larissa has been a popular given name in Russia and Eastern Europe, often associated with elegance and resilience. A notable variant is the Czech and Slovak Larysa, reflecting the name’s enduring cross-cultural appeal.