Find out how popular the first name Melitta has been for the last 14 years (from 1975 to 1988) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Melitta by gender

Based on the last 14 years of data, Melitta is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 1988, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Melitta.

The history of the first name Melitta

The name Melitta has its origins in Ancient Greek, stemming from the Greek word "melitta" which means "honey bee". It was also used as the Greek name for the island of Malta, likely due to the abundance of honey produced there. The name dates back to antiquity, but its earliest recorded use as a personal name is uncertain.

One of the earliest known references to the name Melitta is found in Greek mythology. Melitta was a Cretan goddess associated with honey and beekeeping, often depicted as a nymph carrying a honeycomb. In some stories, she was said to be the mother of the centaur Pholus, who was known for his expertise in the art of beekeeping.

In the 1st century AD, the Roman writer Pliny the Elder mentioned a woman named Melitta in his work "Naturalis Historia". He described her as a skilled beekeeper from the island of Crete, who had developed techniques for improving honey production and quality.

During the Middle Ages, the name Melitta was relatively rare, but it did appear in some historical records. One notable figure was Melitta of Salerno, a 12th-century Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, who is credited with fostering the development of the Schola Medica Salernitana, a renowned medical school in Salerno, Italy.

In the 19th century, the name gained popularity in Germany, where it was associated with a famous coffee company. Melitta Bentz (1873-1950) was a German entrepreneur who invented the first coffee filter system in 1908, revolutionizing the way coffee was brewed. Her invention, the Melitta filter, became a household name and contributed to the widespread use of the name Melitta.

Another notable figure was Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg (1903-1945), a German aristocrat and member of the German resistance movement against the Nazi regime during World War II. She was the wife of Claus von Stauffenberg, one of the leading figures in the July 20th plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

Melitta Maier (1925-2017) was a German track and field athlete who competed in the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal in the 4x100m relay at the 1952 Helsinki Games.

While the name Melitta has Greek roots and ancient mythological associations, it has been embraced across different cultures and time periods, particularly in Germany, where it gained popularity due to its connection with the coffee industry and notable historical figures.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Melitta was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Melitta, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!