Annalise

The name Annalise is a girl's name of German origin. Variously spelled Annalise and Annaliese, this is not a modern smoosh but a traditional German combo-name (the liese part coming from a short form of Elizabeth, with a definite Heidi-esque feel). But though it may be seen as old style in Germany, it's a recent success in this country: Annalise jumped onto the popularity list for the first time in 1997. TV fans know Annalise as the first name of the lead character in ABC's "How To Get Away With Murder," played by Viola Davis, who won an Emmy for the role.