Melisa
Girl name · #2940 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Melisa? In official American birth records, Melisa has been tracked continuously since 1948, giving it 77 years of documented American history.
Melisa is currently the #2940 girl name in the United States — 57 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2590, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 31,579 girls born in 2025 was named Melisa.
Babies named Melisa per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 77-year story
Melisa first appears in the Social Security records in 1948, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1979, when 661 girls were named Melisa — good for #350 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Melisa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Melisa in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Melisa is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Melisa will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Melisa is most common
State-level data for Melisa is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Melisa
Statistically, parents drawn to Melisa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Alisa, Malinda, Marlena, Maricela, and Trisha.
AlisaMalindaMarlenaMaricelaTrishaMarisaImeldaKeisha
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Melisa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 57 | #2933 |
| 2024 | 53 | #3047 |
| 2023 | 54 | #3047 |
| 2022 | 51 | #3171 |
| 2021 | 53 | #3069 |
| 2020 | 44 | #3450 |
| 2019 | 67 | #2593 |
| 2018 | 69 | #2532 |
| 2017 | 74 | #2432 |
| 2016 | 73 | #2479 |
| 2015 | 69 | #2590 |
| 2014 | 83 | #2256 |
| 2013 | 110 | #1834 |
| 2012 | 126 | #1680 |
| 2011 | 132 | #1633 |
| 2010 | 129 | #1649 |
| 2009 | 134 | #1660 |
| 2008 | 153 | #1521 |
| 2007 | 163 | #1445 |
| 2006 | 189 | #1268 |
| 2005 | 188 | #1214 |
| 2004 | 253 | #952 |
| 2003 | 228 | #1013 |
| 2002 | 200 | #1063 |
| 2001 | 216 | #993 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Melisa?
In official American birth records, the name Melisa first appeared in 1948 (over 77 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 77 years.
Is Melisa a popular girl name?
Melisa ranked #2940 among girls in 2025 with 57 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2590.
When was the name Melisa most popular?
Melisa peaked in 1979, when 661 American girls received the name (ranked #350 that year). Since 1979 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Melisa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 31,579 newborn American girls was named Melisa. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.