Melissa
Girl name · #419 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Melissa? In official American birth records, Melissa has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Melissa is currently the #419 girl name in the United States — 747 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #253, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,410 girls born in 2025 was named Melissa.
The 145-year story
Melissa first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 33 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1979, when 34,050 girls were named Melissa — good for #2 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.
Babies named Melissa per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Melissa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Melissa in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Melissa is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Melissa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Melissa is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Melissa is most common in NV (1.3 per 1,000), MA (1.2 per 1,000), CA (1 per 1,000), CT (0.9 per 1,000), OR (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Melissa is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Melissa
Statistically, parents drawn to Melissa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Vanessa, Monica, Rebecca, Veronica, and Angela.
VanessaMonicaRebeccaVeronicaAngelaMeredithMichelleAlicia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Melissa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 747 | #419 |
| 2024 | 826 | #379 |
| 2023 | 744 | #411 |
| 2022 | 823 | #379 |
| 2021 | 836 | #372 |
| 2020 | 887 | #349 |
| 2019 | 933 | #340 |
| 2018 | 1,117 | #299 |
| 2017 | 1,170 | #274 |
| 2016 | 1,236 | #260 |
| 2015 | 1,283 | #253 |
| 2014 | 1,509 | #224 |
| 2013 | 1,592 | #202 |
| 2012 | 1,772 | #178 |
| 2011 | 1,709 | #184 |
| 2010 | 1,951 | #156 |
| 2009 | 2,338 | #137 |
| 2008 | 2,517 | #134 |
| 2007 | 2,505 | #137 |
| 2006 | 2,893 | #117 |
| 2005 | 3,085 | #104 |
| 2004 | 3,339 | #98 |
| 2003 | 3,502 | #96 |
| 2002 | 3,769 | #80 |
| 2001 | 4,145 | #74 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Melissa?
In official American birth records, the name Melissa first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 33 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Melissa a popular girl name?
Melissa ranked #419 among girls in 2025 with 747 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #253.
When was the name Melissa most popular?
Melissa peaked in 1979, when 34,050 American girls received the name (ranked #2 that year). Since 1979 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Melissa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,410 newborn American girls was named Melissa. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.