Karissa

Of Italian origin, the meaning of Karissa is 'grace'. The name is also of Greek origin, where it is a common variant of the names Charissa and Karissa. The meaning comes from the Greek word 'charis', meaning 'grace' or 'beloved.' The name was first used by the English poet, Edmund Spenser, in his poem 'The Faerie Queene'. The name Karissa also belonged to a 4th-century BC Athenian general. Later, the sculptor of the Colossus of Rhodes went by the same name. Variants of this name include Cara, Carys, Carina, and Cheryl.