Melissa
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Origin of the name Melissa:
Derived from the Greek melissa (a bee). The 16th century Italian poet Ariosto used the name for the good fairy who protected Bradamante and helped Ruggero escape from Atlante upon the hippogriff in the poem Orlando Furioso.
From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman. Buy the bookDoes Melissa sound...
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Reader Contributions
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- Comments and insights on the name Melissa: | Edit
Alternate spelling: Milissa, Mellissa, Mellisa, Melyssa, M'lissa, Malysa, Malisa
- Personal experiences with the name Melissa: | Edit
Extremely popular name in the 70's and 80's would be a familiar but not overly common name if used for an infant. Lots of nicknames, very frilly sweet sounding name. I hated my name growing up but only because it was extremely common and I always had to go by Melissa last initial. Nowadays if used that wouldn't be the case.
- Nicknames for Melissa: | Edit
Mo, Mel-Mel, Missy, Mel, Lissa, Emme, Miss, Melis, Milli, Melly, Missa, Medu-Japanese version, Em, Smelly, Lissy
- Meanings and history of the name Melissa: | Edit
"In Greek mythology, Melissa is the name of one of the nymphs that fed Zeus honey as an infant while hiding him from his father, Cronus. When Cronus discovered this, he turned her into a worm. After Zeus came into power, he changed her into a queen bee, not being able to change her from an insect form."
found at ~http://www.themelissagarden.com/- Famous real-life people named Melissa: | Edit
Melissa Anderson, professional wrestler known as Cheerleader Melissa and Raesha Saeed
Melissa Auf der Maur, former bassist for the band "Hole".
Melissa "Emme" Aronson, plus-sized supermodel
Melissa Coates, professional wrestler
Melissa "Missy Misdemeanor" Elliot, rapper
Melissa Etheridge, American singer
Melissa George, Australian actress
Melissa Gilbert, American actress
Melissa Joan Hart, American actress
Melissa Lawson, American singer/songwriter, winner of Nashville Star
Melissa Manchester, American singer/songwriter
Melissa "Missy" Margera, reality TV star, wife of Bam Margera
Melissa Moore, American B-movie actress, scream queen, and successful equestrian.
Melissa "Lissy" Newman actress/Philanthropist Daughter of Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward
Melissa M, French singer
Melissa O'Neill, Canadian singer, and 2005 Canadian Idol winner
Melissa Ricks, (born 1990), Filipina actress
Melissa Straker (born 1976), Barbadian track and field sprinter
Melissa Sagemiller, American actress
Melissa Tkautz, Australian actress and singer- Melissa in song, story & screen: | Edit
"Melissa"-- Allman Brothers Band
Melissa, from Swindle by Gordon Korman
NameVoyager US Popularity of Melissa Over Time
NameMapper Current Popularity of Melissa by State
Global Popularity of the Name Melissa
- #62 in Germany
- #63 in Scotland
- #87 in Sweden
- #119 in Canada (Quebec)
- #134 in United States
- #200 in Canada (British Columbia)
- #219 in Canada (Alberta)
- #222 in Norway
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