Melissa is a feminine given name. The name comes from the Greek word μέλισσα (mélissa), "bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (meli), "honey". In Hittite, melit signifies "honey". Melissa is a common variant form, with others being Malissa, Melesa, Melessa, Meliza, Mellisa, Melosa, and Molissa.
According to Greek mythology, perhaps reflecting Minoan culture, making her the daughter of a Cretan king Melisseus, whose -issos ending is Pre-Greek, Melissa was a nymph who discovered and taught the use of honey and from whom bees were believed to have received their name. She was one of the nymph nurses of Zeus, sister to Amaltheia, but rather than feeding the baby milk, Melissa, appropriately for her name, fed him honey. Or, alternatively, the bees brought honey straight to his mouth. Because of her, Melissa became the name of all the nymphs who cared for the patriarch god as a baby. Melissa can also be spelled Mellissa, Mellisa, Melisa, Malissa, Malisa, Mallissa, Mallisa, Milisa, and Milissa.
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Mythology
Ancient Greek mythology
The name "Melissa" has a long history with roots reaching back to even before Ancient Greece. For this reason, in part, there are several versions of the story surrounding the mythological character Melissa, especially in how she came to care for the infant Zeus. Melissa is said to be one of the various nymphs who raised the infant Zeus; in one little-attested version, Zeus transformed her into a bee under unclear circumstances.
Nymphs, such as Melissa, played an important role in mythic accounts of the origin of basic institutions and skills, as in the training of the culture heroes Dionysos and Aristaeus or the civilizing behaviors taught by the bee nymph. The antiquarian Mnaseas' account of Melissa gives a good picture of her function as in this respect. According to folklore, as Larson phrases it, "Melissa first found a honeycomb, tasted it, then mixed it with water as a beverage. She taught others to do this, and thus the creature was named for her, and she was made its guardian." This was part of the Nymphs' achievement of bringing men out of their wild state. Under the guidance of Melissa, the Nymphs not only turned men away from eating each other to eating only this product of the forest trees, but also introduced into the world of men the feeling of modesty.
In addition, the ancient Greek philosopher Porphyry (233 to c. 304 AD) wrote of the priestesses of Demeter, known as Melissae ("bees"), who were initiates of the chthonian goddess. The story surrounding Melissae tells of an elderly priestess of Demeter, named Melissa, initiated into her mysteries by the goddess herself. When Melissa's neighbors tried to make her reveal the secrets of her initiation, she remained silent, never letting a word pass from her lips. In anger, the women tore her to pieces, but Demeter sent a plague upon them, causing bees to be born from Melissa's dead body. From Porphyry's writings, scholars have also learned that Melissa was the name of the moon goddess Artemis and the goddess who took suffering away from mothers giving birth. Souls were symbolized by bees and it was Melissa who drew souls down to be born. She was connected with the idea of a periodic regeneration.
The variant spelling/pronunciation Melitta is the Attic Greek dialect for Melissa. (Compare the Attic word for sea, thalatta, with the more common thalassa.) Within a fragment of the Orphic poetry, quoted by Natalis Comes, Melitta is spoken of as a hive, and called Seira, or the hive of Venus:
Poetry
The 16th-century Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto used the name "Melissa" for a good fairy (the good sorceress and prophetess who lived in Merlin's cave) in his poem Orlando Furioso. The following is an ode to Melissa's birthday by Thomas Blacklock, a Scottish poet from the late 18th century.
Popularity
Melissa became a popular name in the United States during the 1950s. The name was very popular from the 1960s to the 1990s; today Melissa is a relatively uncommon baby name. In 2010, fewer than 2,500 girls were given the name, compared with around 10,000 in 1993 and well over 30,000 at the name's peak popularity in 1979. In 2007, Melissa was the 137th most popular name for girls born in the United States, dropping steadily from its peak of second place in 1977. It was among the top ten most popular names for girls from 1967 to 1984.
In popular culture
"Melissa", a song by The Allman Brothers Band from the album Eat a Peach.
Melissa, the first studio album by Mercyful Fate, issued in 1983.
Melissa & Joey is an American sitcom television series.
People
Melissa, nickname of Lyside, wife of Periander (7th century BC)
Melissa (3rd century BC), a Pythagorean philosopher
Melissa E. Sanchez, scholar of English literature
In film, television, and radio
Melissa Altro, Canadian voice actress
Melissa Sue Anderson, American actress
Melissa Benoist, American actress, singer, dancer, and activist
Melissa Bracewell, birth name of Melanie Bracewell; New Zealand comedienne, actress, and scriptwriter
Melissa De Sousa, American actress
Melissa Fumero, American actress
Melissa George, Australian actress and entrepreneur
Melissa Gilbert, American actress and television director
Melissa Joan Hart, American actress
Melissa Leo, American actress
Melissa McBride, American actress
Melissa McCarthy, American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and fashion designer
Melissa Rauch, an American actress
Melissa Stribling, Scottish actress
Melissa Villaseñor, American actress, comedian, and singer
In the arts
Melissa Auf der Maur, Canadian musician, singer-songwriter, photographer, and actress
Melissa Etheridge, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist
Melissa Hamilton, Northern Irish ballet dancer
Melissa Hough, American ballet dancer
Melissa Jefferson (stage name Lizzo), American singer-songwriter
Melissa Manchester, American singer-songwriter and actress
Melissa VanFleet, American singer-songwriter and musician
In the sciences
Melissa Farley (born 1942), American clinical psychologist, researcher, and radical feminist activist
Melissa Hathaway (born 1968), American cybersecurity expert
Melissa Simon, American clinical obstetrician/gynecologist
Melissa Trainer, American astrobiologist
In sport
Melissa Caddle (born 1992), Guyanese sprinter
Melissa Cervantes (born 1986), Mexican-American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist
Mellissa Channell (born 1994), Canadian ice hockey player
Melissa Diete (born 2012), German rhythmic gymnast
Melissa Gallegos (born 1978/79), American football player
Mélissa Godart, French association football player
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (born 2001), American sprinter
Melissa Maizels (born 1993), Australian footballer
Melissa Mantak, triathlete and triathlon coach from the United States
Melissa Márquez (born 1996), Mexican rower
Melissa Tanner (born 1973), Australian Paralympic archer
Melissa Vargas (born 1999), Turkish volleyball player
Melissa Wu (born 1992), Australian diver
In politics
Melissa Douglas, American politician
Melissa Lee (born 1966), New Zealand politician
Melissa Schmidt, American politician
Criminals
Melissa Ann Shepard (born 1935), Canadian murderer
Other uses
Melissa (computer virus)
List of storms named Melissa
Hurricane Melissa (2025)