Melissa
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Melissa is a feminine given name. The name comes from the
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
word μέλισσα (''mélissa''), "bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (''meli''), "honey". In Hittite, ''melit'' signifies "honey". Melissa is a common variant form, with others being Malissa, Melesa, Melessa, Meliza, Mellisa, Melosa, and Molissa. According to
Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
, perhaps reflecting
Minoan culture The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age culture which was centered on the island of Crete. Known for its monumental architecture and Minoan art, energetic art, it is often regarded as the first civilization in Europe. The ruins of the Minoan pa ...
, making her the daughter of a Cretan king Melisseus, whose ''-issos'' ending is
Pre-Greek The pre-Greek substrate (or substratum) consists of the unknown pre-Greek language or languages (either Pre-Indo-European or other Indo-European languages) spoken in prehistoric Greece prior to the emergence of the Proto-Greek language in the r ...
, Melissa was a
nymph A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...
who discovered and taught the use of honey and from whom bees were believed to have received their name. She was one of the nymph nurses of
Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...
, sister to Amaltheia, but rather than feeding the baby milk, Melissa, appropriately for her name, fed him honey. Or, alternatively, the bees brought honey straight to his mouth. Because of her, ''Melissa'' became the name of all the nymphs who cared for the patriarch god as a baby. Melissa can also be spelled Mellissa, Mellisa, Melisa, Malissa, Malisa, Mallissa, Mallisa, Milisa, and Milissa.


Mythology


Ancient Greek mythology

The name "Melissa" has a long history with roots reaching back to even before Ancient Greece. For this reason, in part, there are several versions of the story surrounding the mythological character Melissa, especially in how she came to care for the infant
Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...
. Melissa is said to be one of the various nymphs who raised the infant Zeus; in one little-attested version, Zeus transformed her into a bee under unclear circumstances.
Nymph A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...
s, such as Melissa, played an important role in mythic accounts of the origin of basic institutions and skills, as in the training of the culture heroes
Dionysos In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ) by the Greek ...
and
Aristaeus Aristaeus (; ''Aristaios'') was the mythological culture hero credited with the discovery of many rural useful arts and handicrafts, including bee-keeping; He was the son of the huntress Cyrene and Apollo. ''Aristaeus'' ("the best") was a cu ...
or the civilizing behaviors taught by the bee nymph. The antiquarian
Mnaseas Mnaseas of Patrae () or of Patara, whether that in Lycia or perhaps the Patara in Cappadocia was a Greek historian of the late 3rd century BCE, who is reckoned to have been a pupil in Alexandria of Eratosthenes. His ''Periegesis'' or ''Periplus' ...
' account of Melissa gives a good picture of her function as in this respect. According to folklore, as Larson phrases it, "Melissa first found a honeycomb, tasted it, then mixed it with water as a beverage. She taught others to do this, and thus the creature was named for her, and she was made its guardian." This was part of the Nymphs' achievement of bringing men out of their wild state. Under the guidance of Melissa, the Nymphs not only turned men away from eating each other to eating only this product of the forest trees, but also introduced into the world of men the feeling of modesty. In addition, the ancient Greek philosopher Porphyry (233 to c. 304 AD) wrote of the priestesses of
Demeter In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...
, known as ''Melissae'' ("bees"), who were initiates of the chthonian goddess. The story surrounding ''Melissae'' tells of an elderly priestess of Demeter, named Melissa, initiated into her mysteries by the goddess herself. When Melissa's neighbors tried to make her reveal the secrets of her initiation, she remained silent, never letting a word pass from her lips. In anger, the women tore her to pieces, but Demeter sent a plague upon them, causing bees to be born from Melissa's dead body. From Porphyry's writings, scholars have also learned that Melissa was the name of the moon goddess
Artemis In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...
and the goddess who took suffering away from mothers giving birth. Souls were symbolized by bees and it was Melissa who drew souls down to be born. She was connected with the idea of a periodic regeneration.


Melitta

The variant spelling/pronunciation Melitta is the
Attic Greek Attic Greek is the Greek language, Greek dialect of the regions of ancient Greece, ancient region of Attica, including the ''polis'' of classical Athens, Athens. Often called Classical Greek, it was the prestige (sociolinguistics), prestige diale ...
dialect for Melissa. (Compare the Attic word for sea, ''thalatta'', with the more common ''
thalassa Thalassa (; ; Attic Greek: , ''thálatta'') was the general word for 'sea' and for its divine female personification in Greek mythology. The word may have been of Pre-Greek origin and connected to the name of the Mesopotamian primordial sea godde ...
''.) Within a fragment of the
Orphic Orphism is the name given to a set of religious beliefs and practices originating in the ancient Greek and Hellenistic world, associated with literature ascribed to the mythical poet Orpheus, who descended into the Greek underworld and returned ...
poetry, quoted by Natalis Comes, ''Melitta'' is spoken of as a hive, and called Seira, or the hive of
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is often called Earth's "twin" or "sister" planet for having almost the same size and mass, and the closest orbit to Earth's. While both are rocky planets, Venus has an atmosphere much thicker ...
:
Let us celebrate the hive of Venus, who rose from the sea: that hive of many names: the mighty fountain, from whence all kings are descended; from whence all the winged and immortal Loves were again produced.
From the works of Hesychius, it is clear that the word Seira among other interpretations signified ''Melitta'', a bee; also a hive, or house of ''Melitta'', " ch is the sense of it in this passage: and hewas thus represented in ancient mythology, as being the receptacle, from whence issued that swarm, by which the world was peopled". With that said, Seira was none other than the goddess
Demeter In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Demeter (; Attic Greek, Attic: ''Dēmḗtēr'' ; Doric Greek, Doric: ''Dāmā́tēr'') is the Twelve Olympians, Olympian goddess of the harvest and agriculture, presiding over cro ...
, the supposed mother of mankind; who was also styled as Melitta and Melissa, and was looked upon as the
Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is often called Earth's "twin" or "sister" planet for having almost the same size and mass, and the closest orbit to Earth's. While both are rocky planets, Venus has an atmosphere much thicker ...
of the East. This Deity, ''Melitta'', was the same as ''Mylitta'', the well-known Venus of the
Babylonians Babylonia (; , ) was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Kuwait, Syria and Iran). It emerged as an Akkadian-populated but Amorite-ru ...
and
Arabians Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
. Melissa or ''Melitta'' is also said to be the mother-wife of
Phoroneus In Greek mythology, Phoroneus (; Ancient Greek: Φορωνεύς means 'bringer of a price') was a culture-hero of the Argolid, fire-bringer, law giver, and primordial king of Argos. Family Phoroneus was the son of the river god Inachus and eit ...
, the first that reigned, in whose days the dispersion of mankind occurred, whereas before all had been in harmony and only one language was spoken. ''Melitta'', being the feminine of ''Melitz'', the Mediator, consequently signifies ''Melitta'' the ''Mediatrix'' for sinful mortals.


Poetry

The 16th-century Italian poet
Ludovico Ariosto Ludovico Ariosto (, ; ; 8 September 1474 – 6 July 1533) was an Italian poet. He is best known as the author of the romance epic '' Orlando Furioso'' (1516). The poem, a continuation of Matteo Maria Boiardo's ''Orlando Innamorato'', describ ...
used the name "Melissa" for a good fairy (the good sorceress and prophetess who lived in Merlin's cave) in his poem ''
Orlando Furioso ''Orlando furioso'' (; ''The Frenzy of Orlando'') is an Italian epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto which has exerted a wide influence on later culture. The earliest version appeared in 1516, although the poem was not published in its complete form ...
''. The following is an ode to Melissa's birthday by
Thomas Blacklock Thomas Blacklock (10 November 1721 – 7 July 1791) was a Scottish poet who went blind in infancy. Life He was born near Annan, Dumfriesshire (now Dumfries and Galloway), of humble parentage, and lost his sight as a result of smallpox when six ...
, a Scottish poet from the late 18th century.


''Ode, on Melissa's Birth Day''

Ye nymphs and swains, whom love inspires With all his pure and faithful fires, Hither with joyful steps repair; You who his tenderest transports share For lo ! in beauty's fairest pride, Summer expands her heart so wide; The Sun no more in clouds inshrin'd, Darts all his glories unconfin'd; The feather'd choir from every spray Salute Melissa's natal day. Hither ye nymphs and shepherds haste, Each with a flow'ry chaplet grac'd, With transport while the shades resound, And Nature spreads her charms around; While ev'ry breeze exhales perfumes, And Bion his mute pipe resumes; With Bion long disus'd to play, Salute Melissa's natal day. For Bion long deplor'd his pain Thro' woods and devious wilds in vain; At last impell'd by deep despair, The swain proferr'd his ardent pray'r; His ardent pray'r Melissa heard, And every latent sorrow cheer'd, His days with social rapture blest, And sooth'd each anxious care to rest. Tune, shepherds, tune the festive lay, And hail Melissa's natal day. With Nature's incense to the skies Let all your fervid wishes rise, That Heav'n and Earth may join to shed Their choicest blessings on her head; That years protracted, as they flow, May pleasures more sublime bestow; While by succeeding years surpast, The happiest still may be the last; And thus each circling Sun display, A more auspicious natal day.


Popularity

Melissa became a popular name in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
during the 1950s. The name was very popular from the 1960s to the 1990s; today Melissa is a relatively uncommon baby name. In 2010, fewer than 2,500 girls were given the name, compared with around 10,000 in 1993 and well over 30,000 at the name's peak popularity in 1979. In 2007, Melissa was the 137th most popular name for girls born in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, 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.


In popular culture

* "
Melissa Melissa is a feminine given name. The name comes from the Greek language, Greek word μέλισσα (''mélissa''), "bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (''meli''), "honey". In Hittite language, Hittite, ''melit'' signifies "honey". Meliss ...
", a song by
The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969. Its founding members were brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar, lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards), as well as Dickey Betts ( ...
from the album ''
Eat a Peach ''Eat a Peach'' is an album by the American rock band the Allman Brothers Band, released on February 12, 1972, by Capricorn Records. A double album, it was produced by Tom Dowd and serves as the band's third studio album and second live album d ...
''. Eat a Peach#Track listing * "
Melissa Melissa is a feminine given name. The name comes from the Greek language, Greek word μέλισσα (''mélissa''), "bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (''meli''), "honey". In Hittite language, Hittite, ''melit'' signifies "honey". Meliss ...
", the thirteenth single by
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
ese rock band
Porno Graffitti , also known as , are a Japanese Rock music, rock band from Onomichi, Hiroshima, Onomichi (formerly Innoshima, Hiroshima, Innoshima), Hiroshima Prefecture. The band got their name from the album ''Pornograffitti'' by the band Extreme (band), E ...
, was used as the first opening theme of the anime ''
Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in Square Enix's shōnen manga, manga anthology magazine ''Gangan Comics#Monthly Shōnen Gangan, Monthly Shōnen Gangan'' between July 2001 and June ...
''. * ''Melissa'', the first studio album by
Mercyful Fate Mercyful Fate is a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen, formed in 1981 by vocalist King Diamond and guitarist Hank Shermann. Influenced by progressive rock and hard rock, and with lyrics dealing with LaVeyan Satanism (often with ironic ...
, issued in 1983. * Melisso is a male character in the opera ''
Alcina ''Alcina'' (Händel-Werke-Verzeichnis, HWV 34) is a 1735 opera by George Frideric Handel. Handel used the libretto of ''L'isola di Alcina'', a work set to music in 1728 in Rome by Riccardo Broschi, which he had acquired a year later during his t ...
'' by
George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...
. * ''
Melissa & Joey ''Melissa & Joey'' is an American television sitcom starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence that aired for four seasons between 2010 and 2015 on ABC Family (now Freeform). The series title reflects the actors' names, not their characters ...
'' is an American
sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...
. * The Melissa is the title of a beekeeper priestess in
Starhawk Starhawk (born Miriam Simos on June 17, 1951) is an American feminist and writer. She is known as a theorist of feminist neopaganism and ecofeminism. In 2013, she was listed in Watkins' ''Mind Body Spirit'' magazine as one of the 100 Most Spir ...
's 1993 novel, ''
The Fifth Sacred Thing ''The Fifth Sacred Thing'' is a 1993 post-apocalyptic novel by American writer Starhawk. The title refers to the classical elements of fire, earth, air, and water, plus the fifth element, spirit, accessible when one has balanced the other fo ...
''. * Melissa, or Missy, is
Sheldon Cooper Sheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D., is a fictional character and one of the protagonists in the 2007–2019 CBS television series ''The Big Bang Theory'' and its 2017–2024 spinoff series ''Young Sheldon'', portrayed by act ...
's sister in
The Big Bang Theory ''The Big Bang Theory'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for CBS. It aired from September 24, 2007, to May 16, 2019, running for 12 seasons and 279 episodes. The show originally centered on five charact ...
and
Young Sheldon ''Young Sheldon'' is an American sitcom television series created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro which aired on CBS from September 25, 2017, to May 16, 2024. The series is a Spin-off (media), spin-off prequel to ''The Big Bang Theory'' that ...
.


People

*
Melissa Melissa is a feminine given name. The name comes from the Greek language, Greek word μέλισσα (''mélissa''), "bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (''meli''), "honey". In Hittite language, Hittite, ''melit'' signifies "honey". Meliss ...
(3rd century BC), a Pythagorean philosopher


In film, television, and radio

*
Melissa Altro Melissa Altro is a Canadian voice actress and voiceover coach from Montreal, Quebec. Early life Altro was born in Montreal, Quebec to Irene Altro (née Stern), who died in 2019. She is an alumna of St. George's School of Montreal and McGill ...
, Canadian voice actress *
Melissa Sue Anderson Melissa Sue Anderson (born September 26, 1962) is an American-Canadian actress. She began her career as a child actress after appearing in several commercials in Los Angeles. Anderson is known for her role as Mary Ingalls in the NBC drama series ...
, American actress *
Melissa Benoist Melissa Marie Benoist ( ; born October 4, 1988) is an American actress and singer. Her first major role was Marley Rose on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox musical comedy drama ''Glee (TV series), Glee'' (2012–2014), in which she was a serie ...
, American actress, singer, dancer, and activist * Melissa De Sousa, American actress *
Melissa Fumero Melissa Fumero ( Gallo; born August 19, 1982) is an American actress and television director. She made her professional debut in 2004 in the recurring role of Adriana Cramer in the television soap opera ''One Life to Live''. Following several ...
, American actress *
Melissa George Melissa Suzanne George (born 6 August 1976) is an Australian and American actress. She began her career playing Angel Parrish on the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'' between 1993–1996. After moving to the United States, George made her ...
, Australian actress and entrepreneur *
Melissa Gilbert Melissa Ellen Gilbert (born May 8, 1964) is an American actress. Gilbert began her career as a child actress in the late 1960s, appearing in numerous commercials and guest-starring roles on television. From 1974 to 1983, she starred as Laura Ing ...
, American actress and television director *
Melissa Joan Hart Melissa Joan Hart (born April 18, 1976) is an American actress. She had starring roles as the title characters in the sitcoms ''Clarissa Explains It All'' (1991–1994), ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996 TV series), Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' (1 ...
, American actress *
Melissa Leo Melissa Chessington Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Critics' Choice A ...
, American actress *
Melissa McBride Melissa Suzanne McBride (born May 23, 1965) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in 1993, and went onto appear in ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' (1997) and ''Dawson's Creek'' (1998). In 2007, she also starred in the box office film ''The ...
, American actress *
Melissa McCarthy Melissa Ann McCarthy (born August 26, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Melissa McCarthy, numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Award ...
, American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and fashion designer *
Melissa Rauch Melissa Ivy Rauch (; born June 23, 1980) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz on the CBS sitcom ''The Big Bang Theory'' from 2009 to 2019, for which she was nominated for the Critics Choice ...
, an American actress *
Melissa Stribling Melissa Stribling (7 November 1926 – 22 March 1992) was a Scottish film and television actress. She began her professional career in a repertory company, presenting a different play each week at the Grand Theatre, Croydon in 1948. She remains ...
, Scottish actress *
Melissa Villaseñor Melissa Anne Villaseñor ( ; born October 9, 1987) is an American comedian, actress, musician, and illustrator. First garnering attention for her stand-up shows and impressions, Villaseñor found wider success when she was hired to join the cast ...
, American actress, comedian, and singer


In the arts

*
Melissa Auf der Maur Melissa Gaboriau Auf der Maur (; born March 17, 1972) is a Canadian musician. Auf der Maur began performing in 1993 after forming the indie rock band Tinker (band), Tinker while she was a student at Concordia University. She was recruited ...
, Canadian musician, singer-songwriter, photographer, and actress *
Melissa Etheridge Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her Melissa Etheridge (album), eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the Billbo ...
, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist *
Melissa Hamilton Melissa Hamilton (born 2 August 1989) is a Northern Irish ballet dancer and a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, London. Early life Hamilton was born in Belfast and spent most of her childhood in Dromore, County Down. Her father is a buil ...
, Northern Irish ballet dancer * Melissa Hough, American ballet dancer * Melissa Jefferson (stage name
Lizzo Melissa Viviane Jefferson (born April 27, 1988), known professionally as Lizzo (), is an American singer and rapper. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she moved to Houston, Texas, with her family at the age of ten. After college, she moved to Minn ...
), American singer-songwriter *
Melissa Manchester Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Since the 1970s, her songs have been played by adult contemporary radio stations. She has also appeared on television, in films, and on stage. Early li ...
, American singer-songwriter and actress * Melissa VanFleet, American singer-songwriter and musician


In the sciences

* Melissa Farley (born 1942), American clinical psychologist, researcher, and radical feminist activist *
Melissa Hathaway Melissa Hathaway (born 10 November 1968) is a leading expert in cyberspace policy and cybersecurity. She served under two U.S. presidential administrations from 2007 to 2009, including more than 8 months at the White House, spearheading the Cyb ...
(born 1968), American cybersecurity expert *
Melissa Simon Melissa Andrea Simon is an American clinical obstetrician/gynecologist and scientist who focuses on health equity across the lifespan.Biography. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. July 2019. Accessed on July 25, 2019. https://www.uspreventivese ...
, American clinical obstetrician/gynecologist * Melissa Trainer, American astrobiologist


In sport

* Melissa Caddle (born 1992), Guyanese sprinter * Melissa Cervantes (born 1986), Mexican-American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist *
Mellissa Channell Mellissa Channell-Watkins (born December 16, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for PWHL Vancouver of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). She previously played for the Minnesota Frost of the PWHL and the Toronto Fur ...
(born 1994), Canadian ice hockey player * Mélissa Godart, French association football player * Melissa Maizels (born 1993), Australian footballer * Melissa Mantak, triathlete and triathlon coach from the United States * Melissa Tanner (born 1973), Australian Paralympic archer *
Melissa Wu Melissa Paige Li Kun Wu (born 3 May 1992) is an Australian diving (sport), diver who has represented Australia at five Olympic Games, winning a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, 2008 Olympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic G ...
(born 1992), Australian diver


In politics

* Melissa Douglas, American politician *
Melissa Lee Melissa Ji-Yun Lee (; born 1966) is a New Zealand politician. She was elected to the House of Representatives as a list MP for the National Party in the 2008 election. She serves as the 11th Minister for Economic Development and 2nd Minister ...
(born 1966), New Zealand politician * Melissa Schmidt, American politician


Criminals

* Melissa Ann Shepard (born 1935), Canadian murderer


References


External links


Baby names
{{Authority control Arabic-language feminine given names Bees in religion English feminine given names Feminine given names Given names of Greek language origin Greek feminine given names Italian feminine given names Metamorphoses into arthropods in Greek mythology Nymphs Deeds of Zeus