Melanie first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Melanie has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Melanie

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "dark" or "black".

Popularity of Melanie by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Melanie is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Melanie being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 2,114 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Melanie.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 2,114
2022 0 2,160
2021 0 2,185
2020 0 2,525
2019 0 2,590
2018 0 2,849
2017 5 3,234
2016 0 3,486
2015 0 3,493
2014 7 3,697
2013 0 3,474
2012 0 3,467
2011 5 3,287
2010 0 3,486
2009 0 3,486
2008 8 3,714
2007 15 4,000
2006 9 4,034
2005 11 3,495
2004 16 3,580
2003 8 3,549
2002 7 3,484
2001 7 2,912
2000 13 2,968
1999 8 2,649
1998 0 2,461
1997 9 2,522
1996 8 2,663
1995 10 2,646
1994 6 2,679
1993 9 2,987
1992 13 3,353
1991 10 3,580
1990 19 3,813
1989 21 3,629
1988 13 2,833
1987 8 2,745
1986 7 2,974
1985 18 3,133
1984 21 3,516
1983 18 3,552
1982 14 4,255
1981 12 4,473
1980 21 4,842
1979 24 5,019
1978 16 4,999
1977 17 5,373
1976 18 5,240
1975 14 5,369
1974 19 5,483

The history of the first name Melanie

The name Melanie has its origins in the Greek language, deriving from the word 'melaina' which means 'dark' or 'black'. It was originally a feminine form of the Greek name Melas. The name first appeared in ancient Greece, where it was used as a descriptive name for a person with dark hair or a tanned complexion.

In ancient Greek mythology, there are references to Melanie as a nymph associated with the goddess Artemis. The name is also mentioned in some ancient Greek texts, including works by the historian Herodotus.

The name Melanie gained popularity during the early Christian era, particularly in the 4th and 5th centuries AD. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Saint Melania the Elder (ca. 350-410 AD), a Roman Christian saint and Desert Mother who was renowned for her asceticism and charitable works.

Another notable figure with the name Melanie was Melania the Younger (ca. 383-439 AD), the granddaughter of Melania the Elder. She was also a Roman Christian saint and Desert Mother, known for her piety and philanthropy.

In the 6th century, the name Melanie was borne by the Byzantine empress Melania, who was the wife of Emperor Justin I. She played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of the Byzantine Empire during her husband's reign.

During the Middle Ages, the name Melanie was used in various European countries, particularly in France and Germany. One notable bearer of the name was Melanie of La Salette (1831-1904), a French woman who claimed to have had a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1846.

In literature, the name Melanie is associated with the character Melanie Wilkes from the novel "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell, published in 1936. Melanie Wilkes was portrayed as a gentle and compassionate woman during the American Civil War era.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Melanie was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Melanie, please contact us.

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"Melanie first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 2, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/melanie-meaning-and-history/.

"Melanie first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/melanie-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 2 November, 2024

Melanie first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/melanie-meaning-and-history/.

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