Name meaning & stats
Melissa
Melissa means “honeybee” (Ancient Greek origin). 759,766 US babies since 1940, peak 1979. Notable Melissas are 1.3× over-represented as singers.
What it means
“honeybee”
Ancient GreekWell documented
From Greek melissa.
In US birth records
Peak year: 1979
759,766 US babies were named Melissa between 1940 and 2025.
Where Melissas end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Actor | 1.3× | High · 87 people |
| Singer | 1.3× | High · 41 people |
| Politician | 0.9× | High · 33 people |
| Writer | 0.7× | High · 30 people |
Among notable women who are singers, Melissas show up 1.3× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people born 1940–2005 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Melissa has a surprise career: 1.5×
Spelling family
Melissa is the main spelling
- Melissa 95%
- Melisa 2%
- Mellissa 1%
- Mellisa 1%
- Melyssa <1%
- Melissia <1%
- Meliza <1%
- Melessa <1%
- Melessia <1%
- Melicia <1%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1979)