Melissa Girl

Popularity: #340 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: meh-LIS-uh //məˈlɪsə//

Origin: Greek; Latin

Meaning: Greek: honeybee; Latin: bee

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Melissa has its roots in ancient Greek, derived from the word "melissa," which means "bee." This term is linked to the Greek word "meli," meaning "honey," highlighting the significance of bees in ancient cultures as symbols of industriousness and sweetness. The name entered the English language through Latin, where it was adopted as "Melissa" in the context of classical literature and later through various translations of Greek texts into Latin during the Renaissance period.

Historically, the name Melissa has been associated with several notable figures in mythology and literature. In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who cared for the infant Zeus, nurturing him with honey and thus symbolizing nourishment and protection.

The name also appears in works of literature, such as in the pastoral poetry of the 16th century, where it was used to evoke themes of nature and beauty. Additionally, the name gained prominence through its use in various Christian texts, where it was sometimes linked to the idea of divine sweetness and grace.

Culturally, the name Melissa has resonated through various traditions, often symbolizing femininity, gentleness, and nurturing qualities. Its association with bees has made it a symbol of community and cooperation, reflecting the importance of these themes in many cultures.

The name has also been embraced in various forms across different languages, with diminutive forms like Mel or Lissa emerging in various cultures, further enhancing its appeal and adaptability. Overall, Melissa's rich etymological background and historical significance contribute to its enduring legacy in the realm of names.

Famous people named Melissa

In this section, you will find notable people named Melissa. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Melissa who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Melissa who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Melissa McCarthy is an actress and comedian best known for Bridesmaids, Spy, and Can You Ever Forgive Me?.

Melissa Joan Hart is an actress best known for Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Clarissa Explains It All, and Melissa & Joey.

Melissa Etheridge is a singer-songwriter best known for Come to My Window, I'm the Only One, and Ain't It Heavy.

Melissa Leo is an actress best known for The Fighter, Frozen River, and Wayward Pines.

Melissa Rivers is a television host and producer best known for Fashion Police, The Joan Rivers Show, and her work on E!

Melissa Benoist is an actress best known for Supergirl, Glee, and Whiplash.

Melissa Fumero is an actress best known for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and One Life to Live.

Melissa Rauch is an actress and comedian best known for The Big Bang Theory and The Bronze.

Fictional characters named Melissa

The following list of fictional characters named Melissa is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Melissa is a fictional character from the animated series The Lion Guard. She is a member of the Lion Guard and is known for her bravery and loyalty to her friends.

Melissa is a fictional character from the novel and film series The Mortal Instruments. She is a supportive friend to the protagonist and plays a crucial role in the story's development.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Melissa, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MadisonMeganMayaMiaMollyMira

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Melissa. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MelanieMarissaMarilynMelinaMirellaMinaMabelMira

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Melissa was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Melissa has ranked as high as #9 nationally, which occurred in 1979, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Melissa has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Melissa is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Melissa was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Melissa (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 163
21%
TX 115
15%
FL 60
8%
NY 42
5%
IL 32
4%
GA 29
4%
PA 27
3%
NJ 25
3%
MA 25
3%
WA 25
3%
AZ 21
3%
OH 20
3%
VA 20
3%
MO 16
2%
MD 16
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Melissa.

YearBirths
2024825
2023743
2022823
2021836
2020887
2019933
20181,117
20171,170
20161,236
20151,283
20141,509
20131,592
20121,772
20111,709
20101,951
20092,338
20082,517
20072,505
20062,893
20053,085
20043,338
20033,502
20023,769
20014,145
20004,532
19994,830
19985,354
19976,679
19967,170
19957,878
19948,796
199310,224
199211,710
199113,348
199014,000
198915,204
198816,545
198717,674
198617,667
198519,963
198421,897
198323,474
198225,866
198128,005
198031,634
197934,050
197828,327
197726,880
197625,094
197524,167
197422,166
197322,480
197222,494
197123,876
197023,734
196923,019
196821,731
196718,377
196614,253
196510,564
19648,318
19637,319
19626,308
19614,901
19604,412
19593,627
19583,323
19572,780
19562,527
19552,416
19542,062
19532,007
19521,442
19511,129
1950980
1949779
1948600
1947319
1946198
1945186
1944177
1943189
1942154
1941141
194095
1939116
193885
193790
193656
193563
193443
193351
193262
193143
193057
192942
192843
192744
192646
192555
192453
192350
192268
192166
192059
191949
191863
191754
191664
191567
191452
191347
191242
191131
191047
190933
190827
190738
190622
190530
190424
190335
190240
190134
190040
189947
189835
189735
189630
189541
189452
189353
189234
189130
189042
188946
188840
188734
188658
188545
188448
188342
188241
188140
188033