NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Alessa

A feminine given name of Greek origin meaning "helper" or "defending".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Alessa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Alessa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 16 births.

This profile covers 159 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2006 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 161 living people in the UK are called Alessa. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Alessa ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2016, when 16 girls were registered as Alessa.
  • Alessa ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #798 in 2016.
  • About 161 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alessa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4843

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

2016

16 births

Estimated living

161

2026

Meaning

What does Alessa mean?

The name Alessa is believed to have originated from the Greek language, derived from the word "alexo," which means "to defend" or "to protect." This name gained popularity during the Byzantine era, particularly in regions influenced by Greek culture, such as parts of the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alessa can be traced back to the 5th century, when it was mentioned in a Greek text describing a female warrior who fought bravely to defend her village. This historical reference may have contributed to the name's association with strength and courage.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Alessa was relatively uncommon, but it resurfaced during the Renaissance period. One notable figure from this time was Alessa Rosselli, an Italian painter born in 1492, known for her exceptional skill in depicting religious scenes and portraits.

In the 17th century, Alessa Galante, an Italian opera singer, gained recognition for her remarkable vocal abilities and performances across Europe. Her fame helped popularize the name among the aristocratic circles of the time.

During the 19th century, Alessa Kovalevskaya, a Russian mathematician and writer born in 1850, made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and advocated for women's rights in academia. Her accomplishments brought further attention to the name Alessa.

Another notable figure was Alessa Cervetti, an Italian physician born in 1876, who played a crucial role in advancing medical practices and improving healthcare services in her region. Her dedication and compassion earned her widespread respect and admiration.

While the name Alessa has its roots in Greek culture, it has been adopted and embraced by various communities around the world, each adding their own unique cultural influences and interpretations to its meaning and symbolism.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Alessa over time

The chart below shows babies named Alessa registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Alessa, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 16 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Alessa
0481216200620152024

Decades

Alessa by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alessa was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #3480 38 5
2010s #2790 103 10
2000s #4301 18 4

Geography

Where Alessa is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Alessa. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Alessa ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #798 in 2016.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Alessa in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#798 in 2016

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Alessa

  • Alessa Savage

    actor; pornographic actor

    pornographic performer (b. 1989)

    1989-

Related

Names similar to Alessa

FAQ

Alessa: questions and answers

How popular is the name Alessa in the UK right now?

In 2024, Alessa was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Alessa most popular?

The peak year on record was 2016, with 16 babies registered as Alessa in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Alessa?

A feminine given name of Greek origin meaning "helper" or "defending".

How many people are called Alessa in the UK?

A total of 159 babies have been registered as Alessa across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Alessa most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Alessa ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #798 in 2016. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.