Melissa
/M-EH-L-IH-S-AE/
Honey bee, from Greek melissa (bee), itself from meli (honey), a name evoking sweetness and tireless industry. In Greek myth Melissa was a nymph who discovered honey, and the bee was sacred to several goddesses, lending the name an ancient association with nature's diligence and golden abundance.
See Melissa scored for your familyQuick — what every parent wants to know about Melissa:
Yes — Melissa is a Christian girl name of English origin, meaning “Honey bee, from Greek melissa (bee), itself from meli (honey), a name evoking sweetness and tireless industry. In Greek myth Melissa was a nymph who discovered honey, and the bee was sacred to several goddesses, lending the name an ancient association with nature's diligence and golden abundance.”.
How well does Melissa fit your family?
This page tells you what Melissa means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against the names already in your family, your heritage, and your baby's exact birth star.
Unlock Melissa's score — free
Six signals — scored for your family, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Melissa is a girl's name of English origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Honey bee, from Greek melissa (bee), itself from meli (honey), a name evoking sweetness and tireless industry. In Greek myth Melissa was a nymph who discovered honey, and the bee was sacred to several goddesses, lending the name an ancient association with nature's diligence and golden abundance." and belongs to the Nature cluster — names drawn from the natural world — earth, water, sky.
Common among British, American, European families, Melissa carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
What would a baby named Melissa look like?
NameRoot imagines a one-of-a-kind AI baby portrait for every name, shaped by its heritage — the features, the colouring, the feeling a name like Melissa carries. No two are alike.
See Melissa's portrait — and its full score — the moment you open the app.
See Melissa's baby portrait →What does Melissa's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Melissa resonates in either tradition.
Melissa's destiny number is 6 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Melissa's full reading →
Does Melissa go with your family's names?
Melissa breaks into 6 sounds: /M-EH-L-IH-S-AE/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Melissa sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Melissa beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Melissa — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Melissa
If Melissa resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian girl names, common in British families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian girl names from the Nature cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian girl names that open with the same syllables as Melissa
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Melissa — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Melissa
What does the name Melissa mean?
Melissa means "Honey bee, from Greek melissa (bee), itself from meli (honey), a name evoking sweetness and tireless industry. In Greek myth Melissa was a nymph who discovered honey, and the bee was sacred to several goddesses, lending the name an ancient association with nature's diligence and golden abundance.." It is a girl name of English origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Melissa a boy or girl name?
Melissa is most commonly used as a girl name.
What is the origin of the name Melissa?
Melissa is of English origin, used in Christian tradition, commonly among British, American, European families.
Is Melissa a Christian name?
Yes. Melissa is a girl name traditionally used in Christian families, of English origin.
What does Melissa mean in English?
Melissa originates from English, where it means "Honey bee, from Greek melissa (bee), itself from meli (honey), a name evoking sweetness and tireless industry. In Greek myth Melissa was a nymph who discovered honey, and the bee was sacred to several goddesses, lending the name an ancient association with nature's diligence and golden abundance.."
What are common nicknames for Melissa?
Common short forms of Melissa include Mel, Missy, Lissa.
What is the numerology of Melissa?
Melissa has a Pythagorean destiny number of 6 — nurturing and family devotion.
See how Melissa scores for your family
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