Meliss
A feminine name derived from Greek meaning "honeybee".
Name Census estimates that about 321 living Americans carry the first name Meliss. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Meliss today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Meliss births was 1988 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Meliss. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
321
~ 1 in 1,067,771 Americans
Peak year
1988
23 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
1994 SSA rank
#12,837
Tracked since 1959
Popularity
Meliss: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Meliss from the 1950s through to the 1990s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 156 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Meliss by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Meliss during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Meliss' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Meliss
The name Meliss has its origins in Greek culture and is derived from the Greek word "melissa," which means "honey bee." This name's roots can be traced back to ancient Greece, where bees were revered for their industrious nature and the sweet nectar they produced.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Meliss can be found in ancient Greek literature, such as the works of Homer and Hesiod, where it was often used as a poetic reference to bees or honey. It was also a name given to nymphs and minor deities associated with bees and honey in Greek mythology.
One of the most famous historical figures bearing the name Meliss was Melissa of Ephesus, a Greek priestess and prophetess who lived in the 7th century BC. She was renowned for her wisdom and her ability to interpret omens and portents. Another notable Meliss was Melissa of Argos, a philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 5th century BC and was a follower of Pythagoras.
In the Middle Ages, the name Meliss found its way into Christian tradition, as it was believed to be derived from the Latin word "melissophyllon," meaning "balm-leaf." This association with balm and healing properties led to the name being adopted by several saints and religious figures, such as Saint Melissa of Bithynia, a 4th-century martyr.
During the Renaissance period, the name Meliss experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in Italy and France. One notable figure from this era was Melissa Giliberti, an Italian poet and scholar who lived in the 16th century and was a member of the renowned Accademia degli Infiammati (Academy of the Inflamed) in Padua.
Other historical figures named Meliss include Melissa Tytler, an 18th-century British novelist and writer, and Melissa Hayden, an American ballerina and choreographer who danced with the New York City Ballet and was a protégé of George Balanchine.
Despite its ancient roots and rich history, the name Meliss has maintained its popularity throughout the centuries, thanks to its beautiful sound and association with nature's sweetness and industry.
People
Meliss + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Meliss as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Meliss: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Meliss?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 321 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Meliss going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,067,771 US residents.
Is Meliss a common name?
We classify Meliss as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 351 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Meliss most popular?
The single biggest year for Meliss was 1988, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Meliss is about 47 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Meliss a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Meliss in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.