Melissa

Melissa derives from the Ancient Greek word melissa, meaning bee, itself related to meli, meaning honey. The name appears in Greek mythology as that of a nymph who discovered and taught the use of honey, and it was also borne by a daughter of the Cretan king Melissus, said to have nursed the infant Zeus. The name spread widely through European languages and cultures, enjoying particular popularity in the English-speaking world during the latter half of the twentieth century. French Mélissa and the Dutch and Spanish forms are direct cognates sharing the same classical root.