Clarissa is a female given name. It is pronounced [ kluh-ris-uh ]. It comes from the German name Clarice. Clarice, in turn, comes from the Latin word Clarus, which means "bright, clear or famous". Clarissa also has a Greek origin, meaning "brilliant".This name was ranked #946 on the US Popular Names in 2021.
People with the name include Clara Barton, who was born Clarissa Harlowe Barton. A fictional teenage character named Clarissa was played by Melissa Joan Hart in Clarissa Explains It All during the early to mid 1990s.