Mellisa
Mellisa was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1979, when it ranked 740th with 221 babies. More babies were named Mellisa in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Melissa) bee, honeybee · Greek
- Rank in 2025
- Not rankedgirls
- Babies in 2025
- 0girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1979221 babies
- Total since 1880
- 4,575babies recorded
What does the name Mellisa mean?
Mellisa is a spelling of Melissa, pronounced the same way, so it shares Melissa's meaning and origin.
Melissa is the Greek word for "bee" or "honeybee". In Greek myth Melissa was a nymph who fed the infant Zeus with honey, as the Random House dictionary notes, and the name was used by Renaissance poets such as Ariosto. Wiktionary adds that in Ireland it has served as a feminine of Maol Íosa, "servant of Jesus". It was very popular in the US in the 1970s and 1980s.
μέλισσα (Ancient Greek, “bee, honeybee”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Mel, Missy, Melisa, Lissa.
See also: Greek names, names that mean an animal.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Melissa', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary.com Unabridged (based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary), with Collins English Dictionary, s.v. 'Melissa', Dictionary.com / Random House / HarperCollins
Mellisa popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2010 | #18,920 | 5 |
| 2000 | #3,784 | 34 |
| 1990 | #1,418 | 112 |
| 1980 | #804 | 202 |
| 1970 | #1,009 | 124 |
| 1960 | #2,556 | 23 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Mellisa, counting every spelling?
Mellisa is a spelling of Melissa, a name family that ranked #404 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together. Together these spellings went to 810 girls in 2025.
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How old are people named Mellisa?
About 4,300 people born in the US named Mellisa are alive today, with a median age of 46; half are between 39 and 52. That makes Mellisa mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Mellisa by state
How common Mellisa was among girls born in each state in 1977–1981, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Michigan (2.0×), Oregon (2.0×). In 27 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Mellisa: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Mellisa, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Mellisa
What does Mellisa mean?
Mellisa is a spelling of Melissa, which means “bee, honeybee” (Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Mellisa?
Mellisa was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1979, when it ranked 740th with 221 babies. More babies were named Mellisa in the 1970s than in any other decade.
Is Mellisa a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Mellisa in the US.
Where was Mellisa most popular?
In 1977–1981, Mellisa was most common in Michigan (0.25 per 1,000 girls), followed by Oregon and Washington.