Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Milisa is a variant of Melissa. An origin associated with Melissa is Greek.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1961. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Milisa is a variant of Melissa. The history of Melissa gives this family its wider story. In Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, Melissa is the benevolent witch who frees Rogero from Alcina. Separately, Melissa has also been used in Ireland as an English form of Maoilíosa; the two contexts should not be collapsed into one origin.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Milisa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 312
- 0 boys · 312 girls
- Most popular year
- 1972
- 23 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 7 in 1995. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 23 in 1972. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 371 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Milisa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Melisa
Melisa is a feminine given name from Greek. It is used in Turkish and Albanian.
>99% girls
Mirna
“one who is much loved”
>99% girls
Marya
“star of the sea” · “from the sea of bitterness”
>99% girls
Malinda
“one who is sweet and gentle”
>99% girls
Melinda
“one who is sweet and gentle”
>99% girls
Melony
“a dark-skinned beauty”
>99% girls
Anissa
“one who is affectionate and friendly”
>99% girls
Michele
“who is like God?”
18% boys · 82% girls