Baby Name Popularity Profile

Melissa

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Melissa.

✦ Bee 🌍 Greek nature traditional
National Rank (2025) #420
All-Time Peak Rank #2 Achieved 1977
Total U.S. Births 760,128 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.1% Boy / 99.9% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1970s 34,050 births in 1979
πŸ’‘ The Melissa Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Bee
Language Origin Greek
Origin Type single
Derived from the Greek word 'melissa' (μέλισσα), meaning 'bee', which itself comes from 'meli' (μέλι), meaning 'honey'.
Common Nicknames
Mel Lissa Missy
Alternative Spellings
Melisa
Pronunciation: muh-LISS-uh
Themes & Categories
nature traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Melissa

According to SSA data, Melissa achieved its highest historical rank of #2 in 1977. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1979 with 34,050 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 41.8%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Melissa across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -41.8% Decline
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 34,050 births in 1979
Years in Top 100 44 yrs
Years in Top 500 97 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 427
1890s: 399
1900s: 323
1910s: 516
1920s: 526
1930s: 666
1940s: 2,837
1950s: 22,293
1960s: 119,202
1970s: 253,267
1980s: 217,922
1990s: 89,990
2000s: 32,625
2010s: 14,272
2020s: 4,863

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Me-li-ssa
Letter Count 7 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 54.1% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 54.1% of SSA names. Starts with M, a letter used by only 7.6% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Melissa.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Rhode Island
Top States Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Alaska, Connecticut
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Rhode Island Unranked 3,906 1979 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 3,278 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 1,733 1978 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 1,340 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #313 10,406 1979 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 4,918 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada #226 3,030 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 3,995 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 1,843 1979 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 8,137 1972 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #364 29,795 1980 31.1% Decline
California #208 86,611 1979 22.3% Decline
Kentucky #549 15,008 1971 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #558 23,834 1979 50.0% Decline
Wyoming Unranked 1,164 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #326 10,463 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #554 38,923 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #567 19,881 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #345 7,605 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #524 6,725 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #188 19,858 1979 +3.4% Growth
Minnesota #492 14,363 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #722 29,076 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #380 57,957 1979 14.2% Decline
Wisconsin #412 15,093 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 2,978 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #634 11,284 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #741 16,771 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #553 9,775 1980 Insufficient historical volume
New York #490 56,743 1979 36.4% Decline
Colorado #484 8,756 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #785 16,220 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #548 38,972 1979 20.0% Decline
Tennessee #559 15,417 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #326 11,681 1979 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 2,425 1978 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 7,512 1980 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #433 35,040 1979 37.5% Decline
Louisiana Unranked 12,757 1967 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 2,063 1983 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 4,919 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 2,037 1979 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 2,207 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #596 8,776 1979 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #434 9,313 1971 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #465 17,687 1979 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #529 17,884 1979 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #633 6,693 1971 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #565 10,275 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 6,853 1968 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 2,402 1979 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
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πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
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