Melora
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "prosperous".
Name Census estimates that about 322 living Americans carry the first name Melora. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Melora today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Melora births was 1972 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Melora. 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.
People living today
322
~ 1 in 1,064,454 Americans
Peak year
1972
14 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
2023 SSA rank
#14,569
Tracked since 1956
Popularity
Melora: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Melora from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 103 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Melora 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 Melora during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Melora
The name Melora has its origins in the Greek language, stemming from the word "melos," which means "song" or "melody." It is believed to have originated during the ancient Greek period, around the 5th century BCE.
This feminine name was initially associated with the Greek muses, who were the goddesses of the arts and sciences, often portrayed as the inspirations for poets, musicians, and artists. The connection to the concept of melody and song made Melora a fitting name for daughters born into artistic or musically inclined families.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Melora can be found in the ancient Greek play "The Frogs" by Aristophanes, which was first performed in 405 BCE. In this satirical comedy, a character named Melora is mentioned, although her role is not significant.
Throughout history, the name Melora has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded was Melora of Corinth, a prominent Greek painter who lived in the 4th century BCE and was known for her exceptional skill in portraiture.
In the Middle Ages, Melora de Belmont was a French noblewoman and patron of the arts, who lived during the 12th century. She was renowned for her support of troubadours and minstrels, and her court was a hub of cultural activities.
During the Renaissance period, Melora Fiore was an Italian poet and philosopher who lived from 1462 to 1528. Her works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition, and she was highly regarded among the intellectual circles of her time.
In the 19th century, Melora Constance Prentiss was an American author and educator who lived from 1828 to 1910. She wrote several novels and short stories, as well as works on education and child-rearing, and was a pioneer in advocating for women's rights and education.
More recently, Melora Hardin is an American actress and singer, born in 1967, who is best known for her roles in popular television shows such as "The Office" and "Transparent." Her name has contributed to the continued use and recognition of the name Melora in modern times.
While the name Melora has ebbed and flowed in popularity over the centuries, its connection to the arts, music, and creativity has remained a consistent theme throughout its history, reflecting the essence of its Greek origins and the enduring allure of its melodious sound.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Melora
People
Melora + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Melora 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
Melora: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Melora?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 322 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Melora 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 1 in 1,064,454 US residents.
Is Melora a common name?
We classify Melora as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 358 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Melora most popular?
The single biggest year for Melora was 1972, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Melora is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Melora a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Melora in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.