For the most part (other than perhaps Elissa), I think that a lot of -yssa and -issa names sound vapid--probably due to how common they are. However, I *really* like Ulyssa. It's different.
Just out of curiosity, why would you consider it "pathetic" that Ulyssa was derived from Ulysses? I consider Ulysases S. Grant, the most famous Ulysses I know of, to have been a rather admirable man. I don't mind that connection to Ulyssa at all.