Find out how popular the first name Melchior has been for the last 1 years (from 2007 to 2007) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Melchior by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Melchior is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2007, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Melchior.

The history of the first name Melchior

The name Melchior has its origins in the Hebrew language and is derived from the words "melekh" meaning "king" and "or" meaning "light". It is believed to have been first used around the 5th century BCE in ancient Israel.

Melchior is most famously associated with one of the three wise men or Magi who visited the newborn Jesus, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. In this biblical account, Melchior is traditionally depicted as a Persian scholar and the oldest of the three kings. The name has thus been linked to Christianity and the Nativity story for centuries.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Melchior can be found in the 6th century Greek manuscript known as the "Chronicle of Zuqnin", which mentions a king of that name ruling over part of ancient Persia. The name also appears in various medieval European texts and legends, often in connection with the Magi story.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures named Melchior. These include Melchior von Diepenbrock (1798-1853), a German Catholic bishop and cardinal, and Melchior Teschner (1584-1635), a German astronomer and mathematician who published works on celestial observations.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Melchior Ndadaye (1953-1993), the first democratically elected president of Burundi, whose assassination in 1993 sparked a civil war in the country. Melchior Hofmann (c. 1495-1543) was a German Renaissance theologian and a leader of the Anabaptist movement.

Melchior Schildt (1592-1667) was a Swedish aristocrat and military commander who played a significant role in the Thirty Years' War. More recently, Melchior Wathelet (1928-2022) was a Belgian politician and former President of the European Parliament.

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 Melchior was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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