How to say it
me · LIS · sa
məˈlɪs.ə
Feminine
Melissa
Bee
What it means
Greek for 'bee' (melissa), with a halo of honey and sweetness; in myth, a nymph who fed the infant Zeus.
Melissa is the Greek word for 'honeybee,' carrying associations of sweetness and industry, and in myth it belonged to a nymph who nursed the baby Zeus on honey. The herb lemon balm bears the botanical name Melissa. It was a top girls' name from the 1960s through the 1980s, behind Melissa McCarthy and Melissa Etheridge. Mel and Missy are the shorts.
How to spell Melissa
The standard spelling is Melissa. Common variants include Melisa, Melyssa, Melissende, but Melissa is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #2 in 1977, currently #420 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Mel and Missy are the everyday shorts.
- Worth knowing
Greek for 'bee'; also the herb lemon balm (Melissa).
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Melissa McCarthy American actress and comedian
Spelling variants
- Melisa
- Melyssa
- Melissende
Names with the same feeling
See Melissa from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Melissa mean?
- Greek for 'bee' (melissa), with a halo of honey and sweetness; in myth, a nymph who fed the infant Zeus.
- What does Melissa mean in Greek?
- In Greek, Melissa means "Bee." Melissa is the Greek word for 'honeybee,' carrying associations of sweetness and industry, and in myth it belonged to a nymph who nursed the baby Zeus on honey. The herb lemon balm bears the botanical name Melissa. It was a top girls' name from the 1960s through the 1980s, behind Melissa McCarthy and Melissa Etheridge. Mel and Missy are the shorts.
- How do you pronounce Melissa?
- Melissa is pronounced məˈlɪs.ə. Say it as me-LIS-sa, with the stress on the "lis" syllable.
- How do you spell Melissa?
- The standard spelling is Melissa. Common spelling variants include Melisa, Melyssa, Melissende.
- Is Melissa a boy or girl name?
- Melissa is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Melissa?
- Melissa ranked #420 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.