The first name Melissa
A girl’s name from Greek meaning “bee”, “honey”, “honeybee”.
Pronounced /məˈlɪsə/ 3 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Melissa means “bee”, “honey”, “honeybee” in Greek.
From Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee, honey, or honeybee”). In Ireland it is sometimes used as a feminine form of the Gaelic male name Maol Íosa (literally “servant of Jesus”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 136 girls were named Melissa, making it the 321st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 1,282 births (#46).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Melissa with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Melissa at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 747 girls born in the United States were named Melissa, the 420th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1979, when 34,050 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Melissa in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Melissa in Danish, Finnish, German, Italian, Latin, Portuguese and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Melissa
99 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Melissa LeoAmerican actress, born 1960
- Melissa Joan HartAmerican actress, born 1976
- Melissa BenoistAmerican actress and singer, born 1988
- Melissa RauchAmerican actress, born 1980
- Melissa GeorgeAustralian actress, born 1976
- Melissa McBrideAmerican actress, born 1965
- Melissa GilbertAmerican actress, born 1964
- Melissa EtheridgeAmerican singer-songwriter, born 1961
- Melissa FumeroAmerican actress, born 1982
- Melissa Sue AndersonActress, born 1962
- Melissa Jefferson-WoodenAmerican athlete, born 2001
- Melissa HortmanAmerican lawyer and politician (1970–2025)
More Greek girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Melissa mean?
- Melissa means “bee”, “honey”, “honeybee” in Greek.
- What is the origin of the name Melissa?
- From Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee, honey, or honeybee”). In Ireland it is sometimes used as a feminine form of the Gaelic male name Maol Íosa (literally “servant of Jesus”).
- How popular is the name Melissa?
- In 2025, 136 girls born in England and Wales were named Melissa, ranking 321st. Its peak was 1996, with 1,282 births.
- What are nicknames for Melissa?
- Common nicknames for Melissa include Missy, Misty, Mellie.
- Is Melissa a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 762,623 US babies named Melissa since 1880 were girls.
- When was Melissa most popular?
- 1979 in the United States, when 34,050 babies were named Melissa, its highest rank at 2nd.
- How do you pronounce Melissa?
- Melissa is /məˈlɪsə/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Melissa?
- Mellissa.