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
Showing
- 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
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
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 | — | |
First appearance
1880
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 2012
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- California#76 · 1 in 415
- District of Columbia#83 · 1 in 266
- Nevada#86 · 1 in 344
- Oregon#100 · 1 in 424
- New Mexico#134 · 1 in 506
Best ever in a state: #1 in Kentucky, 1970.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | #76 | 504 | 1 in 415 |
| District of Columbia | #83 | 12 | 1 in 266 |
| Nevada | #86 | 30 | 1 in 344 |
| Oregon | #100 | 35 | 1 in 424 |
| New Mexico | #134 | 14 | 1 in 506 |
| Florida | #148 | 113 | 1 in 705 |
| Arizona | #149 | 47 | 1 in 659 |
| Texas | #150 | 214 | 1 in 740 |
| Illinois | #151 | 84 | 1 in 699 |
| Washington | #152 | 43 | 1 in 708 |
| New Jersey | #157 | 51 | 1 in 716 |
| Massachusetts | #163 | 38 | 1 in 669 |
| New York | #173 | 110 | 1 in 839 |
| Kansas | #204 | 17 | 1 in 774 |
| North Carolina | #210 | 46 | 1 in 955 |
| Connecticut | #212 | 14 | 1 in 836 |
| Oklahoma | #222 | 19 | 1 in 868 |
| South Carolina | #226 | 19 | 1 in 917 |
| Georgia | #228 | 45 | 1 in 1,051 |
| Colorado | #236 | 23 | 1 in 974 |
| Maryland | #245 | 23 | 1 in 1,048 |
| Nebraska | #252 | 9 | 1 in 861 |
| Virginia | #253 | 32 | 1 in 1,137 |
| Idaho | #272 | 7 | 1 in 909 |
| Arkansas | #277 | 11 | 1 in 1,036 |
| Utah | #291 | 15 | 1 in 1,194 |
| Tennessee | #309 | 22 | 1 in 1,358 |
| Indiana | #345 | 20 | 1 in 1,502 |
| Pennsylvania | #356 | 31 | 1 in 1,702 |
| Iowa | #378 | 8 | 1 in 1,566 |
| Minnesota | #413 | 13 | 1 in 1,848 |
| Michigan | #425 | 20 | 1 in 2,059 |
| Wisconsin | #425 | 12 | 1 in 1,921 |
| Alabama | #440 | 10 | 1 in 1,847 |
| Missouri | #587 | 9 | 1 in 2,991 |
| Ohio | #603 | 16 | 1 in 3,223 |
| Kentucky | #613 | 6 | 1 in 3,024 |
| Louisiana | #814 | 5 | 1 in 3,940 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
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
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
- 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)
Rise & fade · girls
99 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1979 at #2 (34,050 births)
- Births halved by 1988, 9 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 18 yrs
- Top 10: 18 yrs · run 1967–1984
- Top 100: 44 yrs · run 1961–2004
- Top 1,000: 136 yrs · run 1935–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 47
- Highest: 1 in 47 girls born in 1979 were named Melissa (2.1%)
- Latest: 1 in 2,152 girls born in 2025 (0.05%)
Era · girls
The 1970s
- 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 2012
girls
#178
1,772 births · 1 in 994 girls
Top girls' names in 2012
More about 2012
girls
1,761,053 girls got a published name in 2012; 1 in 994 of them was named Melissa, which outranked 99.1% of the 19,534 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 8.8% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Melissa
Biggest movers since 2011
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.