Melbourn
Derived from an English place name, likely meaning "mill settlement".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Melbourn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Melbourn today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Melbourn births was 1926 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Melbourn. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Melbourn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1926
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1926 SSA rank
#4,602
Tracked since 1926
Popularity
Melbourn: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Melbourn by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Melbourn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Melbourn
The name Melbourn is believed to have originated from the Old English language, with roots tracing back to the 5th century AD. It is likely a combination of the words "mæl" and "burna," which together mean "mill stream" or "stream at the mill." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals living near a mill or waterway.
In the early medieval period, the name was predominantly found in the regions of present-day England, particularly in areas where Anglo-Saxon settlements were established. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and populations commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
One of the first notable individuals with the name was Melbourn of Huntingdon, a 12th-century chronicler and historian who wrote an influential account of the Norman Conquest of England. His work, "Historia Anglorum," is considered a valuable primary source for the study of that period.
In the 13th century, a Melbourn de Bray was recorded as a landowner and nobleman in the county of Bedfordshire, England. He was a contemporary of King Henry III and played a role in local governance during that era.
During the Renaissance, a renowned scholar and humanist named Melbourn Saunders lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and made significant contributions to the study of classical literature and philosophy.
In the 17th century, a Melbourn Radcliffe was a notable English clergyman and writer. He served as the rector of several parishes and authored several religious texts, including a commentary on the Book of Psalms.
Another individual of note was Melbourn Fitzwilliam, a military officer who fought in the English Civil War during the mid-17th century. He was a staunch Royalist and played a role in several key battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Melbourn. While its usage may have fluctuated over time, the name's origins and historical significance remain rooted in the early medieval period of England.
People
Melbourn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Melbourn as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Melbourn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Melbourn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Melbourn going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Melbourn a common name?
We classify Melbourn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Melbourn most popular?
The single biggest year for Melbourn was 1926, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Melbourn is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Melbourn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Melbourn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Melbourn in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Melbourn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Melbourn in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Melbourn can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Melbourn as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.