Alessa as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Alessa

What is the meaning of the name Alessa ?

The baby name Alessa is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /əˈlɛsə/ (uh-LESS-uh); Italian: /aˈlɛssa/ (ah-LESS-sah).

Alessa is Italian in Origin.

Alessa is an Italian diminutive of Alessandra and Alessia, both cognate with Alexandra, from Greek Alexandros (alexein "to defend" + aner/andros "man, person"). The name therefore carries the meaning "defender of humankind," with the softer -essa ending giving it a distinctly Italian cadence. While longer forms appear in medieval and Renaissance Italian records, Alessa itself surfaces as an affectionate short form and has more recently been adopted as an independent given name, especially in Italy, Switzerland's Italian-speaking regions, and increasingly in English-speaking countries.

Variants and related forms include Alessia, Alessandra, Alexa, Alexia, and Alexandra; masculine counterparts are Alessandro and Alexander. Diminutives and nicknames range from Lessa and Lessi to Ally and Essa. Spelling variants such as Alesa occur, and the name is sometimes aligned in modern usage with Alyssa, though that form has separate origins.