Girl · #2,229 in 2026

Melinda

Melinda is a feminine given name.

  • English
  • Hungarian
Current Rank
#2,229
Peak Rank
#72 (1970)
Total Babies
136K
5-Yr Trend
-20%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
1970
Peak Year
#72
Peak Rank
136K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Melinda

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

Melinda is a feminine given name.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • Hungarian
Etymology
The modern name Melinda is a combination of "Mel" with the suffix "-inda". "Mel" can be derived from names such as Melanie meaning "dark, black" in Greek , or from Melina meaning "sweet like honey" or from Melissa (μέλισσα) meaning "honeybee" in Greek. It is also associated with the Greek word meli , meaning "honey", and with Linda , from "lind" meaning "gentle, soft, tender" in the Germanic languages .

The Story of Melinda

The earliest SSA record of Melinda as a baby girl name dates back to 1880, when 14 babies received it. 1970 was its biggest year on record, with 4,225 newborns named Melinda — #93 in the national rankings. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Melindas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,229 among baby girl names with 85 births, falling sharply (-20%). In total, more than 136K Melindas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s 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

Variants & Related Forms of Melinda

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Melinda. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Melinda

Phonetically similar names — useful when Melinda 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 Melinda

What does the name Melinda mean?
Melinda is a feminine given name.
What is the origin of the name Melinda?
Melinda has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Hungarian.
How popular is Melinda in 2026?
In 2026, Melinda ranks #2,229 among girls' names in the U.S., with 85 babies given the name that year.
When was Melinda most popular?
Melinda reached its peak popularity in 1970, ranking #72 that year with 4,225 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Melinda most popular?
Melinda has historically been most popular in Kentucky, Utah, Arkansas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Melinda.
Is Melinda a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Melinda is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Melinda?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Melinda include Etta, Beulah, Valeria. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Melinda?
Common variants and related forms of Melinda include Malani, Malinda, Mel, Melánia, Melanie, Melantha. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

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Etta
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Beulah
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Valeria
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Dianne
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Harriet
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About the name Melinda

Melinda is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 136K births in the dataset. Melinda's peak popularity came in 1970 when it ranked #72. Use the chart and map above to compare Melinda'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.