Baby Name Popularity Profile
Melanie
Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Melanie.
National Rank (2025)
#142
All-Time Peak Rank
#42
Achieved 1972
Total U.S. Births
262,640
since 1880
Unisex Distribution
0.1% Boy / 99.9% Girl
Female Archetype
First Recorded
1886
Data through: 2025
Peak Decade
1970s
6,296 births in 1972
π‘ The Melanie Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.
π Meaning & Etymology
Primary Meaning
Dark, black
Language Origin
Greek
Origin Type
single
Derived from the Greek word 'melas' (ΞΌΞλαΟ) meaning 'black' or 'dark'.
Common Nicknames
Mel
Lanie
Alternative Spellings
MΓ©lanie
Pronunciation:
MEL-Ι-nee
Etymology confidence:
High
π Popularity Over Time (1880 β 2025)
Annual registration volume (number of births) for Melanie across 146 years of SSA data.
Historical Timeline (1880 - 2025)
Recent Decade (2015 - 2025)
5-Year Trend (2020β2025)
-18.0%
10-Year Trend (2015β2025)
-40.7%
2015
2020
2025
π Popularity Milestones
Busiest Year on Record
6,296
births in 1972
Years in Top 100
40 yrs
Years in Top 500
86 yrs
Longest Streak
123 yrs
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 21
1890s: 63
1900s: 79
1910s: 145
1920s: 183
1930s: 242
1940s: 5,029
1950s: 19,849
1960s: 36,751
1970s: 53,323
1980s: 35,952
1990s: 29,352
2000s: 35,228
2010s: 33,086
2020s: 13,337
π Sound & Spelling Structure
Phonetic Syllables
Me-lani-e
Letter Count
7 letters
Spelling Complexity
Moderate
Length Percentile
Longer than 54.1% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 54.1% of SSA names. Starts with M, a letter used by only 7.6% of SSA names.
π¨βπ©βπ§ Sibling Name Suggestions
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π Authentic State & Regional Rankings
Highest Ranking State
Nevada
Top States
Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, California, Florida
States with Data
51
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