What does Melissa mean?

Melissa ▼ as a girls' name is pronounced ma-LISS-ah. It is of Greek origin, and the meaning of Melissa is "bee; honey". Mythology: the name of a princess of Crete who was changed into a bee after she found out how to collect honey. The name was used since ancient Greece. Singer Melissa Manchester; actress Melissa Gilbert; dancer Molissa Fenley.

STARTS/ENDS WITH Mel-, -sa

ASSOCIATED WITH greek, bee, honey (beautiful), mythology, princess, ancient (old)

Variations

VARIANTS Lisa▼, Malissa▼, Mallissa, Mel, Melesa, Melessa, Melicent, Melicia, Melisa▼, Melisande, Melise, Melisanda, Melisent, Melisha, Melisse, Melitta, Meliza, Mellicent, Mellie▼, Mellisa▼, Melly, Melosa, Milli, Millicent, Millie, Millisent, Millissent, Milly, Missie, Missy▼, Molissa

SEE ALSO Lissa, Mischa

How popular is Melissa?

Melissa is a very popular first name for women (#30 out of 4276, Top 1%) and a slightly less popular last name for all people (#98770 out of 150436, Top 66%). (2000 U.S. CENSUS)

Similar Names

Recommended sound-alike names are Alissa▼, Allissa, Arlissa, Belisse, Bellissa, Calissa, Celisse, Cerissa, Delisa, Delisha, Delissa, Delyssa, Denissa, Elissa, Ellissa, Felisa, Felisha▼, Feliss, Helisa, Ilissa, Illissa, Jalissa, Jelisa, Jelissa, Jolissa, Julissa▼, Kalissa, Lerissa, Malicia, Malika▼, Malisha, Marissa▼, Marlissa, Melia, Melida, Melina▲, Melinda▼, Meliora, Melita, Melitia, Mellicia, Mellisha, Merissa, Meryssa, Morissa, Nerissa, Telisa, Telisha and Ulissa. These names tend to be less commonly used than Melissa.