Melissa Girl

Popularity: #386 · 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 #10 nationally, which occurred in 1979, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, 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.

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.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 747 0 747
2024 826 0 826
2023 744 0 744
2022 823 0 823
2021 836 0 836
2020 887 0 887
2019 933 0 933
2018 1,117 0 1,117
2017 1,170 0 1,170
2016 1,236 0 1,236
2015 1,288 5 1,283
2014 1,509 0 1,509
2013 1,592 0 1,592
2012 1,772 0 1,772
2011 1,709 0 1,709
2010 1,951 0 1,951
2009 2,338 0 2,338
2008 2,524 7 2,517
2007 2,511 6 2,505
2006 2,898 5 2,893
2005 3,096 11 3,085
2004 3,346 7 3,339
2003 3,510 8 3,502
2002 3,777 8 3,769
2001 4,157 12 4,145
2000 4,540 8 4,532
1999 4,848 18 4,830
1998 5,373 19 5,354
1997 6,699 20 6,679
1996 7,185 15 7,170
1995 7,900 21 7,879
1994 8,820 25 8,795
1993 10,257 32 10,225
1992 11,749 39 11,710
1991 13,375 27 13,348
1990 14,049 49 14,000
1989 15,280 77 15,203
1988 16,619 73 16,546
1987 17,748 74 17,674
1986 17,751 84 17,667
1985 20,048 85 19,963
1984 21,979 83 21,896
1983 23,576 101 23,475
1982 25,973 109 25,864
1981 28,102 97 28,005
1980 31,767 138 31,629
1979 34,179 129 34,050
1978 28,428 101 28,327
1977 26,971 92 26,879
1976 25,182 88 25,094
1975 24,260 92 24,168
1974 22,252 86 22,166
1973 22,556 77 22,479
1972 22,578 84 22,494
1971 23,950 75 23,875
1970 23,805 70 23,735
1969 23,087 69 23,018
1968 21,794 61 21,733
1967 18,420 43 18,377
1966 14,291 37 14,254
1965 10,589 26 10,563
1964 8,336 18 8,318
1963 7,346 25 7,321
1962 6,316 10 6,306
1961 4,909 9 4,900
1960 4,421 9 4,412
1959 3,638 11 3,627
1958 3,334 11 3,323
1957 2,780 0 2,780
1956 2,536 9 2,527
1955 2,416 0 2,416
1954 2,062 0 2,062
1953 2,007 0 2,007
1952 1,442 0 1,442
1951 1,129 0 1,129
1950 980 0 980
1949 778 0 778
1948 600 0 600
1947 319 0 319
1946 198 0 198
1945 186 0 186
1944 177 0 177
1943 189 0 189
1942 154 0 154
1941 141 0 141
1940 95 0 95
1939 116 0 116
1938 85 0 85
1937 90 0 90
1936 56 0 56
1935 63 0 63
1934 43 0 43
1933 51 0 51
1932 62 0 62
1931 43 0 43
1930 57 0 57
1929 42 0 42
1928 43 0 43
1927 44 0 44
1926 46 0 46
1925 55 0 55
1924 53 0 53
1923 50 0 50
1922 68 0 68
1921 66 0 66
1920 59 0 59
1919 49 0 49
1918 63 0 63
1917 54 0 54
1916 64 0 64
1915 67 0 67
1914 52 0 52
1913 47 0 47
1912 42 0 42
1911 31 0 31
1910 47 0 47
1909 33 0 33
1908 27 0 27
1907 38 0 38
1906 22 0 22
1905 30 0 30
1904 24 0 24
1903 35 0 35
1902 40 0 40
1901 34 0 34
1900 40 0 40
1899 47 0 47
1898 35 0 35
1897 35 0 35
1896 30 0 30
1895 41 0 41
1894 52 0 52
1893 53 0 53
1892 34 0 34
1891 30 0 30
1890 42 0 42
1889 46 0 46
1888 40 0 40
1887 34 0 34
1886 58 0 58
1885 45 0 45
1884 48 0 48
1883 42 0 42
1882 41 0 41
1881 40 0 40
1880 33 0 33

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. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 163
20%
TX 115
14%
FL 60
7%
NY 42
5%
IL 32
4%
GA 29
4%
PA 27
3%
MA 25
3%
WA 25
3%
NJ 25
3%
AZ 21
3%
OH 20
2%
VA 20
2%
MD 16
2%
MO 16
2%
NC 15
2%
IN 13
2%
CO 13
2%
MN 11
1%
SC 11
1%
TN 11
1%
IA 10
1%
CT 9
1%
UT 8
1%
WI 8
1%
MI 8
1%
AL 7
1%
NV 7
1%
OK 6
1%
OR 6
1%
AR 6
1%
KY 6
1%
LA 5
1%
KS 5
1%