UK girl's name
Melisa
Greek name meaning "honey bee" or "a type of lemon balm".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Melisa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Melisa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #751, with 50 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 72 births.
This profile covers 1,334 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 69% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,365 living people in the UK are called Melisa. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Melisa ranked #751 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 50 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 72 girls were registered as Melisa.
- • Melisa ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #434 in 2018.
- • About 1,365 living people in the UK are estimated to have Melisa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#751
2024
Births in 2024
50
Latest year
Peak year
2019
72 births
Estimated living
1,365
2026
Meaning
What does Melisa mean?
The name Melisa has its roots in the Greek language and can be traced back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek word "melissa," which means "honey bee." This name is closely associated with the Greek goddess of honey, Melissa, who was a nymph and companion to the goddess Artemis.
One of the earliest known references to the name Melisa can be found in Greek mythology. According to legend, Melissa was a nymph who discovered and taught the art of beekeeping and honey production to humans. She was revered for her wisdom and knowledge, and her name became synonymous with sweetness and industry.
The name Melisa gained popularity during the Byzantine era, particularly among Greek-speaking communities. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Melisa of Constantinople (c. 1050-1120), a Byzantine noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her patronage of the Church of Christ Pantokrator.
In the Middle Ages, the name Melisa was also used in various European regions, albeit with slight variations in spelling, such as Melissa or Melissa. One notable figure from this period was Melissa von Kaltenborn (c. 1290-1355), a German abbess and religious leader who played a significant role in the spiritual life of her community.
During the Renaissance, the name Melisa gained popularity across Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain. One of the most famous individuals with this name from this era was Melisa Ragazzoni (1529-1600), an Italian painter and engraver known for her religious works and portraits.
In the 18th century, the name Melisa was used in various parts of Europe, including France and England. One notable figure from this period was Melisa Charlewood (1705-1785), an English philanthropist and advocate for education who established several schools for underprivileged children.
As the name Melisa spread across different cultures and regions, it underwent various spellings and adaptations, reflecting local linguistic and cultural influences. However, its connection to the Greek concept of sweetness, industry, and wisdom has remained a consistent theme throughout its history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Melisa over time
The chart below shows babies named Melisa registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Melisa, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 50 births in 2024, compared with 72 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Melisa by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Melisa was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #661 | 289 | 5 |
| 2010s | #789 | 501 | 10 |
| 2000s | #705 | 434 | 10 |
| 1990s | #813 | 110 | 4 |
Geography
Where Melisa is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Melisa. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Melisa ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #434 in 2018.
Across the UK
Melisa in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#760 in 2022
9 years of NRS records, 31 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#434 in 2018
2 years of NISRA records, 7 total registered
Related
Names similar to Melisa
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Melisa: questions and answers
How popular is the name Melisa in the UK right now?
In 2024, Melisa was ranked #751 for girls in England and Wales, with 50 births registered.
When was Melisa most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 72 babies registered as Melisa in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Melisa?
Greek name meaning "honey bee" or "a type of lemon balm".
How many people are called Melisa in the UK?
A total of 1,334 babies have been registered as Melisa across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 31 more in Scotland and 7 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Melisa most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Melisa ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #434 in 2018. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.