Melissa
Melissa is a distinctive choice, ranked #321 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Melissa in their class.
About the Name Melissa
Melissa is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 43 places over five years. Its high point was #46 in 1996, and it now sits at #280. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has broken into the UK top 100 on 9 occasions, signalling genuine mainstream interest.
Melissa is fairly common in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Melissa in their class.
In the US it sits at #378 — notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
⭐ Famous People Named Melissa
- Melissa Marsh — Melissa Marsh is an Australian former professional basketball player.
- Melissa Bell (singer) — Melissa Bell was an English singer.
- Melissa Panarello — Melissa Panarello, alias Melissa P., is an Italian writer.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Melissa
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Melissa
Almost certainly the only Melissa in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Melissa
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Famous People Named Melissa
Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia