Melissa
Melissa is a feminine given name. The name comes from the Greek word μέλισσα (mélissa), "bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (meli), "honey". In Hittite, melit signifies "honey". Melissa is a common variant form, with others being Malissa, Melesa, Melessa, Meliza, Mellisa, Melosa, and Molissa.
- English
- Dutch
- Ancient Greek
- Greek Mythology
Meaning & Origin of Melissa
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Melissa is a feminine given name. The name comes from the Greek word μέλισσα (mélissa), "bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (meli), "honey". In Hittite, melit signifies "honey". Melissa is a common variant form, with others being Malissa, Melesa, Melessa, Meliza, Mellisa, Melosa, and Molissa.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Dutch
- Ancient Greek
- Greek Mythology
- French
The Story of Melissa
American parents first put Melissa on the record books as a baby girl name in 1880, with 33 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1979, when 34,050 Melissas were born — ranking #2 that year. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 33% of all recorded Melissas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #396 among baby girl names with 775 births, falling sharply (-20%). In total, more than 761K Melissas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Melissa
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Melissa. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Melissa
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Melissa (3rd century BC), a Pythagorean philosopher
- Melissa E. Sanchez , scholar of English literature
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Melissa
Phonetically similar names — useful when Melissa is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Melissa
What does the name Melissa mean?
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In which U.S. states is Melissa most popular?
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About the name Melissa
Melissa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 761K births in the dataset. Melissa's peak popularity came in 1979 when it ranked #2. Use the chart and map above to compare Melissa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1979 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.