ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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2016

First Year

2024

Last Year

2021

Peak Year

#7245

Peak Rank

80

Total Count

9

Years Active

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## Meaning & Origin of Melanin

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

Melanin is a family of biomolecules organized as oligomers or polymers, which among other functions provide the pigments of many organisms. Melanin pigments are produced in a specialized group of cells known as melanocytes.

Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanin) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanin)

[![Wikipedia thumbnail for Melanin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Eumelanine.svg/330px-Eumelanine.svg.png)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanin)

📖

## The Story of Melanin

Melanin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2016, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 15 births, good for #7,245 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 61% of all recorded Melanins. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (8 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 80 Melanins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## Popularity by State

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

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## Names that sound like Melanin

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

* Melamine
* Melanson
* Milliman
* Melungeon
* Melanins
* [Melanie](/melanie)
* [Melina](/melina)
* [Melony](/melony)
* [Melany](/melany)
* [Melania](/melania)
* [Melani](/melani)
* Melman

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Melanin

What does the name Melanin mean?

Melanin is a family of biomolecules organized as oligomers or polymers, which among other functions provide the pigments of many organisms. Melanin pigments are produced in a specialized group of cells known as melanocytes.

How popular is Melanin in 2026?

In 2026, Melanin ranks #11,069 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.

When was Melanin most popular?

Melanin reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking #7,245 that year with 15 babies given the name.

Is Melanin a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Melanin is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Melanin?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Melanin include Amaal, Ilham, Jahari. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👧AmaalPeak #7245](/amaal)[👧IlhamPeak #7245](/ilham)[👧JahariPeak #7245](/jahari)[👧EvalisePeak #7245](/evalise)[👧SiahPeak #7245](/siah)[👧MielaPeak #7245](/miela)[👧YuePeak #7245](/yue)[👧TanylahPeak #7245](/tanylah)

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## About the name Melanin 

Melanin is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2016 and has accumulated 80 births in the dataset. Melanin's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #7,245\. Use the chart and map above to compare Melanin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2021 → ](/year/2021)
* [ Names of the 2020s → ](/decade/2020s)
* [ Names starting with "M" → ](/letter/m)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

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. 

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