Composed of Greek μελισσα (melissa) "honeybee" and ανθος (anthos) "flower". It is used as a Graecized form of Mélisande (e.g., the 12th-century queen Melisende of Jerusalem is known as Melissanthe in Greek). This was the pen name of Greek poet Eve Chougia-Skandalaki (1910-1991).