Melissa in Irish: Maolisa
The Irish form of Melissa is Maolisa, a girl's name meaning “follower of Jesus.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Irish form
- Maolisa
- Meaning
- Follower of Jesus
- Gender
- Girl
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 173 for girls (2025)
How do you say Melissa in Irish?
Melissa in Irish is Maolisa, pronounced mail-ISSA. It has two syllables, with the stress on the second.
What does Maolisa mean?
Maolisa means “follower of Jesus.” Melissa is one of the English forms of the name.
Read more about Maolisa: its meaning, origin and stories
How popular is Melissa in Ireland?
In 2025, 27 baby girls in Ireland were named Melissa, which made it No. 173 that year. That's up from No. 264 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1984, when 162 baby girls were named Melissa, No. 48 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 3 baby girls were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | No. 173 |
| 2024 | 11 | No. 342 |
| 2023 | 22 | No. 202 |
| 2022 | 32 | No. 164 |
| 2021 | 30 | No. 160 |
| 2020 | 17 | No. 255 |
| 2019 | 19 | No. 247 |
| 2018 | 20 | No. 235 |
| 2017 | 25 | No. 205 |
| 2016 | 14 | No. 316 |
| 2015 | 19 | No. 264 |
| 2014 | 19 | No. 264 |
| 2013 | 22 | No. 241 |
| 2012 | 36 | No. 164 |
| 2011 | 36 | No. 166 |
| 2010 | 33 | No. 184 |
| 2009 | 28 | No. 204 |
| 2008 | 35 | No. 170 |
| 2007 | 35 | No. 170 |
| 2006 | 41 | No. 130 |
| 2005 | 37 | No. 133 |
| 2004 | 37 | No. 130 |
| 2003 | 20 | No. 189 |
| 2002 | 32 | No. 138 |
| 2001 | 33 | No. 131 |
| 2000 | 34 | No. 120 |
| 1999 | 53 | No. 84 |
| 1998 | 37 | No. 99 |
| 1997 | 67 | No. 80 |
| 1996 | 83 | No. 64 |
| 1995 | 57 | No. 98 |
| 1994 | 100 | No. 55 |
| 1993 | 96 | No. 61 |
| 1992 | 106 | No. 59 |
| 1991 | 115 | No. 56 |
| 1990 | 107 | No. 63 |
| 1989 | 103 | No. 67 |
| 1988 | 108 | No. 66 |
| 1987 | 130 | No. 61 |
| 1986 | 122 | No. 68 |
| 1985 | 133 | No. 60 |
| 1984 | 162 | No. 48 |
| 1983 | 154 | No. 57 |
| 1982 | 83 | No. 99 |
| 1981 | 89 | No. 91 |
| 1980 | 93 | No. 94 |
| 1979 | 73 | No. 108 |
| 1978 | 59 | No. 126 |
| 1977 | 61 | No. 125 |
| 1976 | 83 | No. 100 |
| 1975 | 38 | No. 165 |
| 1974 | 23 | No. 210 |
| 1973 | 34 | No. 176 |
| 1972 | 39 | No. 159 |
| 1971 | 31 | No. 178 |
| 1970 | 17 | No. 217 |
| 1969 | 18 | No. 211 |
| 1968 | 10 | No. 250 |
| 1966 | 7 | No. 276 |
| 1965 | 7 | No. 262 |
| 1964 | 3 | No. 372 |
Maolisa in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Maolisa, letter by letter.
- MMuin, vine
- AAilm, pine
- OOnn, gorse
- LLuis, rowan
- IIodhadh, yew
- SSail, willow
- AAilm, pine
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Melissa
Questions about Melissa
- What is Melissa in Irish?
- The Irish form of Melissa is Maolisa, pronounced mail-ISSA. Maolisa means “follower of Jesus.”
- How do you pronounce Maolisa?
- Maolisa is pronounced mail-ISSA. Two syllables, stress on the second.
- Is Melissa a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Melissa is a girl's name.
- How popular is Melissa in Ireland?
- In 2025, Melissa was No. 173 for girls in Ireland, with 27 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1984, at No. 48.