Meaning: Its source is a Hebrew expression meaning "Who resembles God."

Languages: This boy's name is used in Russian.

Nickname For: Mikhail

Narrative: In the Jewish and Christian scriptures and other religious writings, the archangel Michael is identified as captain of God's army, humanity's intercessor with the divine, and an eternal recorder who tracks our deeds and misdeeds in a great heavenly book. He is often depicted carrying a flaming sword, and sometimes guarding the gates of Paradise.

The consistently high popularity of this name in the U.S. cannot be attributed with certainty to any one factor. It may be due simply to the pleasant sound of the name. It is also possible that no one has ever devised a more congenial nickname for a boy than Mike!

Meaning: Its source is a Greek expression meaning "Bee or honey."

Languages: This girl's name is used in Russian.

Popularity: The name Misha ranked 3205th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Narrative: Used as a name in ancient times, Melissa has continued to attract the attention of poets, playwrights and songwriters throughout the centuries.

The Italian epic poet Ariosto chose Melissa as the name for a good witch in his Orlando Furioso of 1537. The 19th-century novelist Charles Dickens and his contemporaries, the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson and the musical theatre team of Gilbert and Sullivan, all made use of the name.

These set the stage for its great popularity in the 20th century. When guitar virtuoso Gregg Allman penned his rock ballad ''Sweet Melissa'' in the 1960s, he continued the longstanding artistic tradition of celebrating this name.