Melyssa
Melyssa was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1989, when it ranked 1306th with 121 babies. More babies were named Melyssa in the 1990s 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
- 1989121 babies
- Total since 1880
- 2,023babies recorded
What does the name Melyssa mean?
Melyssa 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
Melyssa popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2020 | #11,785 | 8 |
| 2010 | #5,062 | 28 |
| 2000 | #3,785 | 34 |
| 1990 | #1,823 | 79 |
| 1980 | #2,576 | 37 |
| 1970 | #4,172 | 14 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Melyssa, counting every spelling?
Melyssa 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 Melyssa?
About 2,000 people born in the US named Melyssa are alive today, with a median age of 34; half are between 25 and 40. That makes Melyssa 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.
Melyssa by state
How common Melyssa was among girls born in each state in 1987–1991, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in California (1.7×). In 41 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 Melyssa: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Melyssa, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Melyssa
What does Melyssa mean?
Melyssa is a spelling of Melissa, which means “bee, honeybee” (Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Melyssa?
Melyssa was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1989, when it ranked 1306th with 121 babies. More babies were named Melyssa in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Melyssa a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Melyssa in the US.
Where was Melyssa most popular?
In 1987–1991, Melyssa was most common in California (0.09 per 1,000 girls), followed by New York and Florida.