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Melissa

Quick answerMelissa derives from the Greek word "melissa" (μέλισσα), meaning "honeybee," symbolizing industriousness and sweetness.

Greek · Girl · 3 syllables

M
Top 500

Popularity & facts

Relative popularity index, 2010–2025
GenderGirl
US Rank#420
TrendStable
Peak year1979
Syllables3
OriginGreek
LanguageEnglish
CultureEnglish, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology, French
Letters7
Numerology6 Chaldean 2
Global rank#45

Popularity over time

Popularity index
Hover the line to see any year. 100 = most popular.

Historical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data

About the name Melissa

Melissa derives from the Greek word "melissa" (μέλισσα), meaning "honeybee," symbolizing industriousness and sweetness.

Cross-referenced with Wikidata/Wikipedia. AI-assisted, community-reviewable. Suggest an improvement.

Etymology

Melissa derives from the Greek word "melissa" (μέλισσα), meaning "honeybee," symbolizing industriousness and sweetness. The name gained popularity in English-speaking countries during the 20th century and is used across Christian, Jewish, and secular Western cultures with no specific religious affiliation.

Melissa currently ranks #420 in the United States as a girl's name. It reached its peak popularity around 1979.

Variants & nicknames

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Sibling name ideas

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Phonetic match, not just spelling
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Melisa
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