The story behind 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”).
Other language forms and explanations (4)
Finnish entry
From Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa).
German entry
From Ancient Greek μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee”).
Portuguese entry
Borrowed from Latin Melissa, from Ancient Greek Μέλισσα (Mélissa), from μέλισσα (mélissa, “bee”).
Latin entry
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Μέλῐσσᾰ (Mélĭssă), from μέλῐσσᾰ (mélĭssă, “bee”).
Pronunciation
US: /məˈlɪsə/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Finnish: /ˈmelisːɑ/
- Finnish: [ˈme̞lis̠ːɑ̝]
- German: /meˈlɪsa/
- Portuguese; Brazil: /meˈli.sɐ/
- Portuguese; Portugal: /mɨˈli.sɐ/
- Latin; Classical-Latin: [mɛˈlɪs.sa]
- Latin: [meˈlis.sa]
Popularity
Melissa ranked #420 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Melissa
Maria
Borrowed from Latin Maria, borrowed from Ancient Greek Μᾰρῐ́ᾱ (Mărĭ́ā), borrowed from Aramaic מרים (maryam), borrowed from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם (miryɔm). Doublet of Mary,…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Marija
Borrowed from Sicilian Marìa, from Latin Maria, from Ancient Greek Μαρία (María), from Aramaic מַרְיָם (Maryām). From Latin Maria, from Ancient Greek Μαρία (María), from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Màrija
From Latin Maria, from Ancient Greek Μαρία (María), Μαριάμ (Mariám).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Maryja
Learned borrowing from Latin Marīa. Doublet of Maria.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Agata
Learned borrowing from Latin Agatha, from Ancient Greek Ἀγαθή (Agathḗ).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ágata
Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese Ágata, from Latin Agatha, from Ancient Greek Ἀγαθή (Agathḗ).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Melissa
Bartolomej
Derived from Ancient Greek Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaîos).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends J
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Bartoloměj
Inherited from Old Czech Bartoloměj.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends J
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Bartolomeo
From Ancient Greek Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaîos), from Aramaic בר תלמי (bar tolmai, literally “son of Talmai; son of Ptolemy”), from ברא (bra, “son”) and תלמי (tolmai, “Talmai;…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 4 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Melissa
Aarón
a male given name from Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Aaron
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abdiasz
Learned borrowing from Latin Abdias, from Ancient Greek Ἀβδίας (Abdías), from Hebrew עובדיה.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Z
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abelus
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἅβελ (Hábel), itself from Biblical Hebrew הֶ֫בֶל (heḇel). The vowel, while short by etymology, is shown to be carrying stress by the descended…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length