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Home › Baby Names Directory › Milissa

Milissa

♀ Girl

Pronounced muh-LISS-uh /məˈlɪs.ə/Medium

Meaning: Milissa is a spelling variant of Melissa, from the Greek melissa ('honeybee'), a name from myth for the nymph who nursed the infant Zeus on honey. The 'Mi-' spelling mirrors how the first syllable sounds.Medium

In 30 seconds: A sweet variant of Melissa ('honeybee'): Milissa spells the first sound as heard (said 'muh-LISS-uh'). It peaked around 1968, riding the Melissa wave.
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Origin MediumGreek
MeaningMilissa is a spelling variant of Melissa, from the Greek melissa ('honeybee'), a name from myth for the nymph who nursed the infant Zeus on honey. The 'Mi-' spelling mirrors how the first syllable sounds.
U.S. rank (2008)#14896 ↗ Rising
2008 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1968
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,003

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196819502008

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Milissa is a spelling of Melissa, from the Greek melissa ('honeybee') and the mythic nymph who fed honey to the young Zeus. The 'Mi-' opening reflects the unstressed sound. It rose with the huge Melissa fashion of the 1960s, peaking around 1968 (said 'muh-LISS-uh').

As parents settled on the standard Melissa spelling, this variant grew scarce. It reads as a period spelling of a beloved name. Sweet, Greek-rooted, and uncommon.

Did you know? Milissa is a phonetic spelling of Melissa, whose Greek root means 'honeybee', and it peaked around 1968 as Melissa itself was climbing toward the top of the charts.
Overall data confidence 60%
References — Milissa — Variant spelling of Melissa; Greek melissa 'honeybee'

Variations

MelissaMalissaMelisa

Nicknames

MissyLissa

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Milissa…

Melissa— the standard spelling of the same name
Malissa— a like variant spelling of Melissa
Clarissa— a like -issa ending classic
Marissa— a like sweet -issa girl's name

Explore names like Milissa

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Milissa mean?

Milissa means 'honeybee', a spelling of Melissa from the Greek melissa.

How do you pronounce Milissa?

It's said muh-LISS-uh /məˈlɪs.ə/ — three syllables, stress on the middle, like Melissa.

Is Milissa a boy or girl name?

Milissa is a girl's name, a variant of Melissa.

Is Milissa making a comeback?

This spelling stays rare, though Melissa keeps a warm place in the classic name family.

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