Melissa
| Pronunciation | /məˈlɪsə/ |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Word/name | Greek |
| Meaning | Honey bee |
| Region of origin | Greece |
| Related names | , Mel, , Deborah, Meliza (Hebrew) |
Melissa is a given name for a female child. The name comes from the Greek word μέλισσα (mélissa), "honey bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (meli), "honey". In Hittite melit signifies "honey".
Melissa also refers to the plant Melissa officinalis (Lamiaceae family), known as lemon balm.
Melisa is a common variant form, with others being Malissa, Melesa, Melessa, Meliza, Mellisa, Melosa, and Molissa.
In Ireland it is sometimes used as a feminine form of the Gaelic male name Maoilíosa, which means "servant of Jesus" which is of a different origin and has nothing to do with its Hittite origin.
According to Greek mythology, perhaps reflecting Minoan culture, making her the daughter of a Cretan king Melissos, whose -issos ending is Pre-Greek, Melissa was a nymph 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, 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.
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. In one version, Melissa, a mountain-nymph hid Zeus from his father, Cronus, who was intent on devouring his progeny. She fed Zeus goat's milk from Amalthea and fed him honey, giving him a permanent taste for it even once he came to rule on Mount Olympus. Cronus became aware of Melissa's role in thwarting his murderous design and changed her into an earthworm. Zeus, however, took pity and transformed her into a beautiful bee.
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