Alyssa is a Germanic name meaning "of noble sort" or "of noble kind", though it might also be derived from the flower alyssum. The name is shared by one of her cousins, Alyssa Bennet, and her aunt Alicia Bennet shares a similar meaning. Her middle name, Rylee, is English and means "rye clearing". Her surname, Cunningham, is the name of a district in Scotland, and means "dwelling of the chief or king".