Misa
Meaningoften beautiful sand · Japanese
Misa is a Japanese girl name often meaning “beautiful sand”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. 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 soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length.
Did you know?
- AnagramShuffle the letters of Misa and you get Sami. Same letters, different name.
- GenerationMisa peaked in 1990, which makes it a Millennial name. The typical Misa you'd meet today is about 35 years old. Now it's back in style, so there's a whole new generation of baby Misas too.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Misa would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 114,943 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryMisa first shows up in US birth records in 1968, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 57 years since.
US births per million girls, 1968–2025
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Misa
Misa is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often beautiful sand”. Its two syllables give it an easy rhythm, and the open vowel at the end makes it sound soft and warm. It hit its peak in the 1990s, so it feels familiar without being trendy. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Japanese names
More Japanese girl names
- Girl name: Naomi · pleasantness
- Girl name: Noa · movement
- Girl name: Reina · queen
- Girl name: Aya · sign, verse
- Girl name: Hana · one; flower in Japanese
- Girl name: Kiyomi · often pure beauty
- Girl name: Yuna · often gentle
- Unisex name: Akira · bright, clear
Questions about the name Misa
What does the name Misa mean?
Misa means “often beautiful sand” and comes from Japanese. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Bella (“beautiful”), Callie (“beautiful”), Zuri (“beautiful”) and Annabelle (“gracious and beautiful”).
What is the origin of the name Misa?
Misa is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Misa a boy or girl name?
Misa is a girl name. In 2025, 14 US girls were named Misa.
How popular is the name Misa?
Misa ranked #7,491 for US girls in 2025, given to 14 babies. Its best year was 1990, when it reached #4,380. Over the last five years it has slipped 568 places.
What names are similar to Misa?
If you like Misa, you might also like Bella, Callie, Zuri and Annabelle.
What should I know before naming my baby Misa?
Misa is a Japanese girl name often meaning “beautiful sand”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. 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 soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.