Larissa (Ancient Greek: Λάρισα) is a female given name of Greek origin, derived either from Larissa, a nymph in Greek mythology who was a daughter of Pelasgus, or from the name of the ancient city of Larissa in Greece which meant "citadel". The name was later borne by the Christian martyr of the fourth century Saint Larissa. The name is spelled Λάρισα in modern Greek and Лариса in Cyrillic, and based on either may also be Latinised as Larisa. A Russian short form is Lara, made famous through Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957).
Famous people
Larissa from Switzerland
Saint Larissa (died c.375) - early martyr venerated by the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches
Larisa Latynina (born 1934) - Russian-Ukrainian former Soviet gymnast
Larissa Volokhonsky - Russian-born translator
Larissa Mondrus (born 1943) - German stage name of Soviet expatriate singer
Larisa Bergen (born 1949), Soviet Olympic volleyball player
Larisa Savchenko Neiland (born 1966) - Latvian former tennis player but she was born in Lvov, Ukraine
Larissa Lai (born 1967) - Canadian writer, critic, and professor
Larissa Tahireh (Lara) Giddings (born 1972) - Australian politician
Larissa Meek (born 1978) - American model and former beauty queen
Larissa Kelly (born 1980) - American scholar and Jeopardy! winner
Larisa Oleynik (born 1981) - American actress
Larissa Fiallo (born 1983) - Miss Dominican Republic in the 2004 Miss Universe pageant
Larissa Mabel Riquelme Frutos (born 1985) - Paraguayan model and actress
Larisa Shepitko (1938–1979) - Soviet film director
Larissa Tudor (b. ??? - d. 1926) - woman living in England rumored to be former Grand Duchess Tatiana of Russia.
Larissa-Antonia Marolt (born 1992) − Austrian fashion model
Larissa França, prominent Brazilian beach volleyball player
