Often used as a short form of Melissa or related names, from Greek roots associated with "honey" or "bee."
Meli is a name of remarkable cross-cultural range, appearing independently in traditions separated by oceans. In Greek, meli (μέλι) simply means "honey," and the name carries that sweetness as a given name in Mediterranean cultures, often as a short form of Melissa ("honeybee") or Melina. In Polynesian cultures — particularly Tongan, Samoan, and Fijian — Meli is the local rendering of Mary, itself derived from the Hebrew Miriam, meaning "sea of bitterness" or, in later interpretations, "beloved" or "wished-for child."
The Polynesian Christian tradition absorbed Mary deeply through missionary contact in the nineteenth century, and Meli became one of the most common women's names across Pacific island communities. It carries the spiritual weight of the Virgin Mary alongside a distinctly island cadence, making it a name that feels both devotional and melodic. In Italian and Spanish diminutive traditions, it also appears as a pet form of names like Carmela or Amelia.
Today Meli occupies an appealing niche: short enough to feel modern and nickname-ready, yet layered with genuine historical roots. Parents across Pacific diaspora communities, Greek heritage families, and those simply drawn to its honeyed sound have kept Meli quietly popular without it ever becoming oversaturated. Its charm lies precisely in that understated sweetness.