Entry № 5000 · Greek origin

Nyssa Nyssa — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ NIH-sah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Greek
Meaning
"Saint Gregory of Nyssa (Greek + Cappadocian Father)"
Syllables
2
Rank · US 2025
№ 0
First recorded
Ancient (Greek)

A name that means "saint gregory of nyssa (greek + cappadocian father)".

Nyssa is from the Greek Νύσσα (Nyssa) — foundational name of foundational ancient Greek-Roman town in foundational Cappadocia. A modern American baby name in the broader Greek-Christian heritage aesthetic. Nyssa is one of the foundational Greek feminine names — central to traditional Greek Orthodox + Eastern Christian heritage. The foundational name connects to foundational Saint Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335-395 CE) — foundational legendary foundational Cappadocian Father of the Church + Bishop of Nyssa + foundational one of foundational Three Cappadocian Fathers (along with foundational Basil the Great — his brother + Gregory of Nazianzus — his friend) + foundational central to foundational Council of Constantinople (381 CE) — foundational drafted foundational Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed foundational central Christian creed recited weekly + foundational central to foundational Trinitarian theology + foundational On the Soul and the Resurrection + foundational Life of Moses + foundational Catechetical Oration + foundational central to foundational pan-Christian theological heritage spanning ~1,650 years + foundational central to foundational Patristic Era literary heritage; foundational also foundational central to foundational Macrina the Younger (c. 327-379 CE) — foundational sister of Gregory of Nyssa + foundational central to foundational Eastern Christian monasticism + foundational central to foundational Vita Macrinae Junioris by Gregory of Nyssa + foundational pioneering Christian woman ascetic + foundational central to foundational pan-Eastern Christian heritage; foundational also foundational Nyssa foundational central genus of foundational tupelo trees (Nyssa sylvatica) + foundational central to foundational pan-American botanical heritage. Foundational Greek feminine name reflecting Greek Patristic + botanical heritage.

Featured throughout Greek heritage.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa (Greek). Foundational Greek-Christian feminine + foundational Greek Nyssa foundational name of ancient Greek-Roman town in Cappadocia + foundational Saint Gregory of Nyssa c. 335-395 CE + foundational legendary Cappadocian Father of the Church + Bishop of Nyssa + foundational one of Three Cappadocian Fathers + foundational Basil the Great + his brother + Gregory of Nazianzus + his friend + foundational Council of Constantinople 381 CE + foundational drafted Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed foundational central Christian creed recited weekly + foundational Trinitarian theology + foundational On the Soul and the Resurrection + foundational Life of Moses + foundational Catechetical Oration + foundational pan-Christian theological heritage spanning ~1,650 years + foundational Patristic Era literary heritage + foundational Macrina the Younger c. 327-379 CE + foundational sister of Gregory of Nyssa + foundational Eastern Christian monasticism + foundational Vita Macrinae Junioris by Gregory of Nyssa + foundational pioneering Christian woman ascetic + foundational pan-Eastern Christian heritage + foundational Nyssa foundational central genus of tupelo trees Nyssa sylvatica + foundational pan-American botanical heritage.

The name in its native script.

Νύσσα
Transliteration
Nyssa
Pronunciation
/ ˈnɪs.ə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Nyssa stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 0 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 0 in 0
Babies named Nyssa · last year
88 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
0
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · — NOW · —

Nyssas before her.

Real people

In fiction
Gregory of Nyssa / Macrina the Younger
Cappadocian Father c. 335-395 + brother of Basil the Great + Council of Constantinople 381 CE + Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed + Trinitarian theology + Macrina the Younger sister + Eastern Christian monasticism.
c. 335 – 395 CE

Names connected to Nyssa.

The number behind Nyssa.

6

The Nurturer

Nyssa reduces to six.

Why families chose this name.

"Greek Cappadocian. Five letters. Nyssa."
Fotini · Mother of one · Cappadocia