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Anisa

Girl name · Arabic

Meaningfriendly companion · Arabic

Anisa is an Arabic girl name meaning “friendly companion”. Arabic names are often chosen for a virtue or a blessing parents hope their child will carry. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with a short middle name.

Did you know?

  • AnagramShuffle the letters of Anisa and you get Anais. Same letters, different name.
  • Hidden namesLook closely: Anisa has the name Isa hiding inside it.
  • Word funAnisa starts and ends with the same letter, A. A neat little bookend.
  • GenerationAnisa peaked in 1967, which makes it a Gen X name. The typical Anisa you'd meet today is about 58 years old.
  • Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Anisa would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 25,907 baby girls got the name in 2025.
  • HistoryAnisa first shows up in US birth records in 1958, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 67 years since.
  • Where it's lovedWant to meet a lot of Anisas? Head to Minnesota, where it's the #835 girl name, its best showing of any state.
Baby girl in a white dress sitting in the grass
hello, little Anisa

US births per million girls, 1958–2025

060120195820002025

Most popular states (2025)

MN rank #835NY rank #947

Similar names

Girl name: ElisaGirl name: AniyahGirl name: LouisaGirl name: LuisaUnisex name: IsaGirl name: Anika
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).

About the name Anisa

Anisa is a girl name of Arabic origin meaning “friendly companion”. With 3 syllables it has a flowing, lyrical sound, so a short middle name balances it nicely. It hit its peak in the 1960s, so it feels familiar without being trendy. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.

Origin:Arabic names

More Arabic girl names

Questions about the name Anisa

What does the name Anisa mean?

Anisa means “friendly companion” and comes from Arabic. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Ruth (“companion, friend”), Samira (“evening companion”), Ruthie (“companion”) and Sameera (“evening companion”).

What is the origin of the name Anisa?

Anisa is Arabic in origin. Other Arabic names to consider are Eleanor (“possibly light”), Layla (“night”), Lyla (“night”) and Aaliyah (“exalted”).

Is Anisa a boy or girl name?

Anisa is a girl name. In 2025, 62 US girls were named Anisa.

How popular is the name Anisa?

Anisa ranked #2,751 for US girls in 2025, given to 62 babies. Its best year was 1967, when it reached #1,020. Over the last five years it has slipped 510 places.

What names are similar to Anisa?

If you like Anisa, you might also like Anissa, Annisa, Anyssa, Anissah and Annissa. Anissa is another spelling of the same name.

What should I know before naming my baby Anisa?

Anisa is an Arabic girl name meaning “friendly companion”. Arabic names are often chosen for a virtue or a blessing parents hope their child will carry. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with a short middle name. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.