Meaning: Its source is Nericcia, an Italian name meaning "Black-haired."

Nickname For: Nerissa

Popularity: The name Risa ranked 2152nd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: This was the name of Portia's waiting woman in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice.

Though some authorities insist on its derivation from Nereida, meaning ''nymph'' or ''sea sprite'', others believe Shakespeare created the name, just as he created the name Jessica for the same play.