Melisa
Girl name · #2940 in 2025 · Uniqueness 64/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Melisa scores 64 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Melisa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Melisa is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Melisas were FL (6), CA (5), NY (5), TX (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 64/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.