Girl · #17,168 in 2026

Mekelle

Mekelle, or Mek'ele, is a special zone and capital of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Mekelle was formerly the capital of Enderta awraja in Tigray. It is located around 780 kilometres (480 mi) north of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, with an elevation of 2,254 metres (7,395 ft) above sea level. Administratively, Mekelle is considered a Special Zone, which is divided into seven sub-cities.

Current Rank
#17,168
Peak Rank
#17,168 (2006)
Total Babies
5
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2006
First Year
2006
Last Year
2006
Peak Year
#17168
Peak Rank
5
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Mekelle

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Mekelle, or Mek'ele, is a special zone and capital of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Mekelle was formerly the capital of Enderta awraja in Tigray. It is located around 780 kilometres (480 mi) north of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, with an elevation of 2,254 metres (7,395 ft) above sea level. Administratively, Mekelle is considered a Special Zone, which is divided into seven sub-cities.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
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The Story of Mekelle

Mekelle first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2006, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 5 Mekelles were born — ranking #17,168 that year. As of 2026, Mekelle ranks #17,168 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Mekelles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Mekelle

Phonetically similar names — useful when Mekelle is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mekelle

What does the name Mekelle mean?
Mekelle, or Mek'ele, is a special zone and capital of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Mekelle was formerly the capital of Enderta awraja in Tigray. It is located around 780 kilometres (480 mi) north of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, with an elevation of 2,254 metres (7,395 ft) above sea level. Administratively, Mekelle is considered a Special Zone, which is divided into seven sub-cities.
How popular is Mekelle in 2026?
In 2026, Mekelle ranks #17,168 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Mekelle most popular?
Mekelle reached its peak popularity in 2006, ranking #17,168 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Mekelle a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Mekelle is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Mekelle?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Mekelle include Aallyah, Abaigail, Abianna. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Aallyah
Peak #17168
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Abaigail
Peak #17168
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Abianna
Peak #17168
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Adairis
Peak #17168
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Adryann
Peak #17168
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Aeryona
Peak #17168
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Aisah
Peak #17168
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Aketzalli
Peak #17168

About the name Mekelle

Mekelle is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2006 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Mekelle's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #17,168. Use the chart and map above to compare Mekelle's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.