69
Warmth
67
Cheerfulness
65
Health
Perception Scores
Based on published psychology research on name impressions. Average is about 50; standout names can exceed 100.
Success
56
Morality
49▼
Health
65
Warmth
69▲
Cheerfulness
67
Gender Perception
How masculine or feminine the name sounds to others. Lower scores = more feminine, higher = more masculine.
Femininity-Masculinity
25♀
Melissa Name Personality
Melissa is a name that feels approachable and caring. People associate it with kindness, generosity, and emotional openness. With notably high warmth (69 on the 0-100+ research scale) paired with strong cheerfulness (67 on the 0-100+ research scale), Melissa creates a well-rounded first impression. Overall, Melissa is a name with strong positive associations, averaging 61 across all five personality dimensions on the 0-100+ research scale.
Community Ratings
Classic6.0
Mature4.2
Formal6.1
Upper Class5.3
Urban2.6
Wholesome7.4
Strong4.4
Refined7.8
Strange5.7
Simple5.1
Serious5.5
Nerdy5.8
Community perception ratings from BehindTheName survey data. Scale: 0 to 10. Based on 866 ratings.
Melissa Categories
Explore Similar First Impressions
Names That Sound WarmFind baby names that sound warm, caring, kind, and approachable, ranked by research-backed first-impression scores.Baby Names That Age WellFind baby names that age well from childhood to adulthood, using balanced first-impression scores for warmth, trust, success, health, and cheerfulness.Names That Sound StrongFind baby names that sound strong, confident, capable, and resilient, ranked by research-backed first-impression scores.
Compare Melissa
Famous People Named Melissa
- Melissa McCarthyOscar-nominated comedic actress
- Melissa EtheridgeRock singer-songwriter
- Melissa Joan HartActress, Sabrina the Teenage Witch
- Melissa GilbertActress, Little House on Prairie
Names Similar to Melissa
These names have similar perception scores across the five research dimensions.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Melissa
What does the name Melissa say about personality?▾
Based on US psychology research, the name Melissa scores highest in Warmth (69 on the 0-100+ research scale) and lowest in Morality (49 on the 0-100+ research scale). It creates a first impression that is perceived as high in warmth and average in morality.
Is Melissa a girl name?▾
Melissa is a girl name in our database. It has been rated across five perception dimensions: Success (56), Warmth (69), Morality (49), Health (65), and Cheerfulness (67).
What is the Success rating for the name Melissa?▾
Melissa has a Success rating of 56 on the 0-100+ research scale, which is considered high. This measures how ambitious, intelligent, and creative the name sounds based on psychology research.
How warm does the name Melissa sound?▾
Melissa has a Warmth rating of 69 on the 0-100+ research scale, which is considered high. Warmth measures how caring, kind, and loving a name sounds to others.
How does Melissa compare to other names?▾
Melissa's strongest dimension is Warmth, at 69 on the 0-100+ research scale. The average score across all names is about 50, and standout names can exceed 100 because Name Halo preserves the original research scores. You can compare Melissa with other names using Name Halo's comparison tool.
Who are some famous people named Melissa?▾
Notable people named Melissa include Melissa McCarthy, Melissa Etheridge, Melissa Joan Hart and Melissa Gilbert. Name Halo lists 4 famous Melissas with brief descriptions of their achievements.
About the scores: Perception scores are derived from published psychology research conducted in the United States on how names shape first impressions. Scores use the original 0-100+ research scale: average is about 50, scores above 70 are very high, and standout names can exceed 100.
Name perceptions vary by culture, region, and individual experience. These scores reflect US-based perceptions and may differ in other countries. Ratings are for informational and entertainment purposes.