Melissa
#419 for girls in 2025, 747 births · Last seen for boys in 2015 at #12,086
Given to girls 99.7% of the time
- Peak · girls
- 1979 · 34,050 births
- Debut · girls
- 33 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 44 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 760,128since 1880
Melissa over time
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #419 | 747 | — | |
| 2024 | #379 | 826 | — | |
| 2023 | #411 | 744 | — | |
| 2022 | #379 | 823 | — | |
| 2021 | #372 | 836 | — | |
| 2020 | #349 | 887 | — | |
| 2019 | #340 | 933 | — | |
| 2018 | #299 | 1,117 | — | |
| 2017 | #274 | 1,170 | — | |
| 2016 | #260 | 1,236 | — | |
| 2015 | #253 | 1,283 | #12,086 | 5 |
| 2014 | #224 | 1,509 | — | |
| 2013 | #202 | 1,592 | — | |
| 2012 | #178 | 1,772 | — | |
| 2011 | #184 | 1,709 | — | |
| 2010 | #156 | 1,951 | — | |
| 2009 | #137 | 2,338 | — | |
| 2008 | #134 | 2,517 | #9,871 | 7 |
| 2007 | #137 | 2,505 | #10,921 | 6 |
| 2006 | #117 | 2,893 | #12,055 | 5 |
| 2005 | #104 | 3,085 | #6,634 | 11 |
| 2004 | #98 | 3,339 | #8,927 | 7 |
| 2003 | #96 | 3,502 | #7,831 | 8 |
| 2002 | #80 | 3,769 | #7,643 | 8 |
| 2001 | #74 | 4,145 | #5,667 | 12 |
| 2000 | #71 | 4,532 | #7,416 | 8 |
| 1999 | #64 | 4,830 | #3,986 | 18 |
| 1998 | #59 | 5,354 | #3,708 | 19 |
| 1997 | #44 | 6,679 | #3,455 | 20 |
| 1996 | #42 | 7,170 | #4,185 | 15 |
| 1995 | #35 | 7,879 | #3,191 | 21 |
| 1994 | #31 | 8,795 | #2,847 | 25 |
| 1993 | #30 | 10,225 | #2,347 | 32 |
| 1992 | #24 | 11,710 | #2,002 | 39 |
| 1991 | #20 | 13,348 | #2,544 | 27 |
| 1990 | #20 | 14,000 | #1,662 | 49 |
| 1989 | #19 | 15,203 | #1,219 | 77 |
| 1988 | #16 | 16,546 | #1,178 | 73 |
| 1987 | #13 | 17,674 | #1,114 | 74 |
| 1986 | #12 | 17,667 | #1,008 | 84 |
| 1985 | #11 | 19,963 | #992 | 85 |
| 1984 | #8 | 21,896 | #976 | 83 |
| 1983 | #6 | 23,475 | #872 | 101 |
| 1982 | #5 | 25,864 | #849 | 109 |
| 1981 | #5 | 28,005 | #906 | 97 |
| 1980 | #4 | 31,629 | #747 | 138 |
| 1979 | #2 | 34,050 | #764 | 129 |
| 1978 | #2 | 28,327 | #854 | 101 |
| 1977 | #2 | 26,879 | #882 | 92 |
| 1976 | #3 | 25,094 | #886 | 88 |
| 1975 | #4 | 24,168 | #867 | 92 |
| 1974 | #7 | 22,166 | #861 | 86 |
| 1973 | #6 | 22,479 | #914 | 77 |
| 1972 | #7 | 22,494 | #877 | 84 |
| 1971 | #7 | 23,875 | #941 | 75 |
| 1970 | #7 | 23,735 | #959 | 70 |
| 1969 | #5 | 23,018 | #916 | 69 |
| 1968 | #5 | 21,733 | #930 | 61 |
| 1967 | #9 | 18,377 | #1,132 | 43 |
| 1966 | #22 | 14,254 | #1,237 | 37 |
| 1965 | #38 | 10,563 | #1,513 | 26 |
| 1964 | #53 | 8,318 | #1,900 | 18 |
| 1963 | #61 | 7,321 | #1,585 | 25 |
| 1962 | #68 | 6,306 | #2,673 | 10 |
| 1961 | #95 | 4,900 | #2,900 | 9 |
| 1960 | #109 | 4,412 | #2,871 | 9 |
| 1959 | #127 | 3,627 | #2,530 | 11 |
| 1958 | #130 | 3,323 | #2,506 | 11 |
| 1957 | #147 | 2,780 | — | |
| 1956 | #150 | 2,527 | #2,798 | 9 |
| 1955 | #149 | 2,416 | — | |
| 1954 | #170 | 2,062 | — | |
| 1953 | #163 | 2,007 | — | |
| 1952 | #201 | 1,442 | — | |
| 1951 | #229 | 1,129 | — | |
| 1950 | #240 | 980 | — | |
| 1949 | #276 | 778 | — | |
| 1948 | #317 | 600 | — | |
| 1947 | #460 | 319 | — | |
| 1946 | #566 | 198 | — | |
| 1945 | #532 | 186 | — | |
| 1944 | #542 | 177 | — | |
| 1943 | #545 | 189 | — | |
| 1942 | #599 | 154 | — | |
| 1941 | #592 | 141 | — | |
| 1940 | #714 | 95 | — | |
| 1939 | #628 | 116 | — | |
| 1938 | #749 | 85 | — | |
| 1937 | #717 | 90 | — | |
| 1936 | #909 | 56 | — | |
| 1935 | #866 | 63 | — | |
| 1934 | #1,062 | 43 | — | |
| 1933 | #957 | 51 | — | |
| 1932 | #891 | 62 | — | |
| 1931 | #1,074 | 43 | — | |
| 1930 | #971 | 57 | — | |
| 1929 | #1,137 | 42 | — | |
| 1928 | #1,163 | 43 | — | |
| 1927 | #1,161 | 44 | — | |
| 1926 | #1,115 | 46 | — | |
| 1925 | #1,008 | 55 | — | |
| 1924 | #1,069 | 53 | — | |
| 1923 | #1,076 | 50 | — | |
| 1922 | #888 | 68 | — | |
| 1921 | #914 | 66 | — | |
| 1920 | #949 | 59 | — | |
| 1919 | #1,026 | 49 | — | |
| 1918 | #900 | 63 | — | |
| 1917 | #945 | 54 | — | |
| 1916 | #848 | 64 | — | |
| 1915 | #802 | 67 | — | |
| 1914 | #802 | 52 | — | |
| 1913 | #767 | 47 | — | |
| 1912 | #770 | 42 | — | |
| 1911 | #777 | 31 | — | |
| 1910 | #610 | 47 | — | |
| 1909 | #691 | 33 | — | |
| 1908 | #742 | 27 | — | |
| 1907 | #601 | 38 | — | |
| 1906 | #776 | 22 | — | |
| 1905 | #642 | 30 | — | |
| 1904 | #710 | 24 | — | |
| 1903 | #549 | 35 | — | |
| 1902 | #502 | 40 | — | |
| 1901 | #520 | 34 | — | |
| 1900 | #531 | 40 | — | |
| 1899 | #424 | 47 | — | |
| 1898 | #527 | 35 | — | |
| 1897 | #491 | 35 | — | |
| 1896 | #553 | 30 | — | |
| 1895 | #440 | 41 | — | |
| 1894 | #390 | 52 | — | |
| 1893 | #370 | 53 | — | |
| 1892 | #465 | 34 | — | |
| 1891 | #471 | 30 | — | |
| 1890 | #384 | 42 | — | |
| 1889 | #353 | 46 | — | |
| 1888 | #380 | 40 | — | |
| 1887 | #367 | 34 | — | |
| 1886 | #274 | 58 | — | |
| 1885 | #296 | 45 | — | |
| 1884 | #277 | 48 | — | |
| 1883 | #274 | 42 | — | |
| 1882 | #271 | 41 | — | |
| 1881 | #251 | 40 | — | |
| 1880 | #271 | 33 | — | |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Melissa was already there! It came in at #271, and was given to 33 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1904–1906, when fewer than 31 girls a year got the name.
Where Melissa is popular in 1997
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- California#14 · 1 in 129
- Nevada#21 · 1 in 140
- New Jersey#25 · 1 in 128
- Arizona#26 · 1 in 172
- New York#30 · 1 in 176
Best ever in a state: #1 in Kentucky, 1970.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | #14 | 1,732 | 1 in 129 |
| Nevada | #21 | 61 | 1 in 140 |
| New Jersey | #25 | 325 | 1 in 128 |
| Arizona | #26 | 163 | 1 in 172 |
| New York | #30 | 574 | 1 in 176 |
| Alaska | #33 | 19 | 1 in 133 |
| Texas | #35 | 642 | 1 in 218 |
| New Mexico | #36 | 49 | 1 in 169 |
| Illinois | #37 | 355 | 1 in 197 |
| Florida | #41 | 339 | 1 in 216 |
| Connecticut | #43 | 81 | 1 in 191 |
| Oregon | #45 | 80 | 1 in 202 |
| Washington | #47 | 123 | 1 in 233 |
| Massachusetts | #48 | 146 | 1 in 218 |
| Rhode Island | #52 | 24 | 1 in 174 |
| Utah | #53 | 69 | 1 in 226 |
| Pennsylvania | #56 | 220 | 1 in 265 |
| Colorado | #60 | 78 | 1 in 269 |
| Hawaii | #62 | 17 | 1 in 220 |
| Nebraska | #65 | 34 | 1 in 242 |
| Michigan | #67 | 174 | 1 in 299 |
| Minnesota | #67 | 95 | 1 in 263 |
| Maryland | #70 | 81 | 1 in 292 |
| Wisconsin | #70 | 93 | 1 in 269 |
| Virginia | #73 | 103 | 1 in 323 |
| Delaware | #77 | 12 | 1 in 253 |
| District of Columbia | #77 | 13 | 1 in 266 |
| Idaho | #81 | 20 | 1 in 278 |
| Indiana | #81 | 91 | 1 in 360 |
| New Hampshire | #82 | 17 | 1 in 289 |
| North Carolina | #83 | 104 | 1 in 385 |
| Missouri | #84 | 84 | 1 in 351 |
| Kansas | #85 | 37 | 1 in 336 |
| Georgia | #86 | 101 | 1 in 423 |
| North Dakota | #89 | 10 | 1 in 284 |
| Wyoming | #89 | 5 | 1 in 261 |
| Montana | #90 | 10 | 1 in 294 |
| Iowa | #97 | 33 | 1 in 416 |
| South Dakota | #97 | 9 | 1 in 338 |
| Oklahoma | #98 | 41 | 1 in 410 |
| Vermont | #103 | 6 | 1 in 304 |
| Ohio | #108 | 131 | 1 in 472 |
| South Carolina | #109 | 35 | 1 in 460 |
| Mississippi | #110 | 25 | 1 in 461 |
| Alabama | #113 | 42 | 1 in 494 |
| Maine | #114 | 11 | 1 in 416 |
| Louisiana | #115 | 41 | 1 in 528 |
| Tennessee | #118 | 54 | 1 in 545 |
| Kentucky | #127 | 36 | 1 in 549 |
| West Virginia | #136 | 14 | 1 in 524 |
| Arkansas | #138 | 20 | 1 in 574 |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Melissa
- 40 spots since 2024 (#379 → #419)
- 70 spots since 2020 (#349 → #419)
- 166 spots since 2015 (#253 → #419)
- Biggest jump: 196 spots in 1935 (#1,062 → #866)
- Biggest drop: 188 spots in 1923 (#888 → #1,076)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1979 at #2 (34,050 births)
- Births halved by 1988, 9 yrs later
- Top 10: 18 yrs · run 1967–1984
- Top 100: 44 yrs · run 1961–2004
- Top 1,000: 136 yrs · run 1935–2025
- Highest: 1 in 47 girls born in 1979 were named Melissa (2.1%)
- Latest: 1 in 2,152 girls born in 2025 (0.05%)
- 33.3% of all girls named Melissa (253,267) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 427 | #251 (1881) | #301 |
| 1890s | 399 | #370 (1893) | #452 |
| 1900s | 323 | #502 (1902) | #626 |
| 1910s | 516 | #610 (1910) | #825 |
| 1920s | 526 | #888 (1922) | #1,048 |
| 1930s | 666 | #628 (1939) | #882 |
| 1940s | 2,837 | #276 (1949) | #514 |
| 1950s | 22,293 | #127 (1959) | #171 |
| 1960s | 119,202 | #5 (1969) | #47 |
| 1970s | 253,267 | #2 (1979) | #5 |
| 1980s | 217,922 | #4 (1980) | #10 |
| 1990s | 89,990 | #20 (1990) | #37 |
| 2000s | 32,625 | #71 (2000) | #105 |
| 2010s | 14,272 | #156 (2010) | #237 |
| 2020s | 4,863 | #349 (2020) | #385 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Melissa in 1997
Top girls' names in 1997
Top boys' names in 1997
More about 1997
girls
1,740,710 girls got a published name in 1997; 1 in 261 of them was named Melissa, which outranked 99.7% of the 16,163 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 11.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,885,140 boys got a published name in 1997; 1 in 94,257 of them was named Melissa, which outranked 68.1% of the 10,814 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 15.3% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #3,351Yoseph21
- #3,351Yovany21
- #3,351Zaccheus21
- #3,455Melissa20
- #3,455Abimael20
- #3,455Aleksandar20
- #3,455Allyn20
- #3,601Abrahim19
- #3,601Adrean19
- #3,601Ahkeem19
Tied with 145 names at #3,455; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.