Girl name · Greek
Melanie
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: black, darkMelanie is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "black, dark". It is used in English, German and French.
- Meaning
- Black, dark
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #142 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Melanie
As a girl's name, Melanie comes from Greek and means "black, dark". It is used in English, German and French. In French it is spelled Mélanie.
In French, say may-lah-NEE. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Melanie on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Melanie on 4 lists.
“From Greek melaina, meaning black or dark”
From Black cat names, black cat names for females
“Black, dark; Greek. Say may-lah-NEE”
From French girl names, french saints' names for girls
“Black, dark; Greek. A soft name with a midnight meaning”
From Gothic names, names that mean dark, night or raven
“Black, dark; Greek melas, via Latin”
From Names that mean shadow, girl names that mean shadow or darkness
How popular is Melanie?
- US rank in 2025
- #142
- 2,074 babies, 1,290 per million girls
- Best rank
- #42 in 1972
- 6,296 babies that year
- Babies since 1886
- At least 262,640
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 16 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 28 per million |
| 1900s | 27 per million |
| 1910s | 18 per million |
| 1920s | 15 per million |
| 1930s | 23 per million |
| 1940s | 347 per million |
| 1950s | 1,032 per million |
| 1960s | 2,012 per million |
| 1970s | 3,451 per million |
| 1980s | 2,093 per million |
| 1990s | 1,630 per million |
| 2000s | 1,907 per million |
| 2010s | 1,890 per million |
| 2020s | 1,371 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #82 | #90 | #105 | #110 | #105 | #129 | #130 | #130 | #122 | #142 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Melanie
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- MelaniaBlack, dark (Greek, girl)
- MelaniyaDark (Greek, girl)
Names spelled like Melanie
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- MilaniFrom the name of the Italian city of Milan (Italian, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- DonovanDark brown (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DouglasDark river (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- DoyleDescendant of the dark stranger (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- DuffDark (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- KedarDark (Hebrew, boy)
- KeiraDark one (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- KieranLittle dark one (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- MauriceDark-skinned, Moorish (Latin, boy)
- AdhamBlack, dark (Arabic, boy)
- BlakeFrom a surname meaning black or pale (Old English, unisex)
Middle names for Melanie
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
Melanie: common questions
What does the name Melanie mean?
Melanie comes from Greek and means "black, dark".
Is Melanie a boy or girl name?
Melanie is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Melanie come from?
Melanie comes from Greek and means "black, dark". Today it is used in English, German and French.
How popular is the name Melanie?
Melanie ranked #142 in the US in 2025, with 2,074 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Melanie?
Forms of Melanie with the same meaning and origin include Melania (Italian) and Melaniya (Russian).
What middle names go with Melanie?
Middle names that flow well with Melanie include Eliza, Eve, Hope, Ivy and Joy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.