Melissa
 Eastern honey bee | |
| Pronunciation | Melissa |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Hittites |
| Meaning | Honey beeALSO BEAUTIFULL |
| Region of origin | Anatolia |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Melita, Mel, Melina, Melanie |
| [1] | |
Melissa is a given name for a female child. The origin of Melissa comes from the ancient Hittite word Melita which means honey. The meaning of the word has shifted into honey bee in Greek. Moreover, the pronunciation has changed to Melissa (Ionic Greek: Mέλισσα).
In Greek mythology, perhaps reflecting Minoan culture, Melissa raised the infant Zeus in Crete, nursing him with goat's-milk (see Amalthea) and honey. In later myth she was given a father, Melissus of Crete.
In 2007, Melissa was the 137th most popular name for girls born in the United States, dropping steadily from its peak of second place in 1977. It was among the top ten most popular names for girls from 1967 to 1984.[2]
Melissa also refers to the plant known as lemon balm (family Lamiaceae; genus and species Melissa officinalis).
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