Melanie: Meaning, origin and popularity

Pronounced MEL-uh-nee · 3 syllables

Melanie means “dark”, from Greek.

From French Melanie, from Latin Melania, the name of two Roman fifth century saints, from Ancient Greek (melas, “black, dark”).

How popular is Melanie?

Melanie was the #142 name in the US in 2025, given to 2,074 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 32% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1970.

Babies named Melanie in the US by five-year period, relative to its peak (around 1970).

Half of US adults named Melanie are older than 46; most are between 20 and 70. (Estimated from US births by year and life tables.)

Names that real brothers and sisters of people named Melanie have, from family records on Wikidata, most common first.

Chosen by the same families or with a similar style and era.

Melanie means “dark”. It comes from Greek.

Melanie is pronounced MEL-uh-nee.

Melanie was the #142 name in the US in 2025, given to 2,074 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 32% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1970.

Half of US adults named Melanie are older than 46. Most are between 20 and 70.