Risa
Meaningoften pear sand · Japanese
Risa is a Japanese girl name often meaning “pear 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 Risa and you get Aris and Isra. Same letters, different names.
- GenerationRisa peaked in 1966, which makes it a Gen X name. The typical Risa you'd meet today is about 59 years old.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Risa would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 72,993 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryRisa first shows up in US birth records in 1942, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 83 years since.
US births per million girls, 1942–2025
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Risa
Risa is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often pear 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 1960s and is climbing again now. 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 Risa
What does the name Risa mean?
Risa means “often pear sand” and comes from Japanese. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Perry (“pear tree”), Tenoch (“possibly prickly pear on stone”), Rika (“often pear flower”) and Rikako (“often pear flower child”).
What is the origin of the name Risa?
Risa is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Risa a boy or girl name?
Risa is a girl name. In 2025, 22 US girls were named Risa.
How popular is the name Risa?
Risa ranked #5,554 for US girls in 2025, given to 22 babies. Its best year was 1966, when it reached #905. Over the last five years it has climbed 2,005 places.
What names are similar to Risa?
If you like Risa, you might also like Perry, Tenoch, Rika and Rikako.
What should I know before naming my baby Risa?
Risa is a Japanese girl name often meaning “pear 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.