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Melinda Name Meaning, Origins & History

Melinda

Pronunciation: muh-LIN-duh

Meaning Honey Origin coinages Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#1,985
TREND
119
Peak Years
1970, 1973, 1971
Lowest Years
1911, 1905, 1884
Energy Archetype
Hardworking & Dutiful

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Melinda in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Melinda

  • A favorite of earlier generations: Melinda appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 15 years. Its last run lasted 14 consecutive years, from 1967 through 1980.
  • More than 136 thousand babies named Melinda: U.S. records list 136,158 babies given the name Melinda from 1880 through 2025. Even 337 boys received the name Melinda - about 1 boy for every 403 girls.

What Does the Name Melinda Mean?

Melinda is usually explained as a compound name rather than one inherited whole from an ancient language. Its first element, Mel-, is commonly traced to Greek meli, "honey," the root also behind Melissa; on this reading the name is glossed "honey-sweet." The ending -inda matches a group of names - Belinda, Lucinda, Rosalind, Ermelinda - in which the ending is often connected with the Germanic element lind, "soft, tender" (literally the linden tree).

Both parts of that explanation remain uncertain. Greek melas, "black, dark," stands behind Melanie and Melania, and a Mel- beginning can come from either root, so the first element of Melinda is not fixed. The -inda ending appears in names of different origins, so it cannot be assumed to carry a single meaning in every case. Melinda is therefore best described as a name whose parts suggest "honey" and "soft, tender," but whose formation is not documented in ancient sources.

Melinda Name History & Origins

Melinda appears in English from the 17th century in the pastoral and lyric poetry of the period, where names ending in -inda served as conventional labels for idealized women. Later it passed from that poetic stock into ordinary use as a given name, and it is also found in continental Europe, including German- and Hungarian-speaking areas and Italy and Spain.

Melinda is sometimes confused with Melisende (also spelled Melisande), the Frankish name of the 12th-century queen Melisende of Jerusalem. That name has a separate Germanic origin, from elements usually identified as amal, "labor," and swinþ, "strong," and it is not the source of Melinda; the resemblance between the two names is coincidental. The Greek name Melita, "honey-sweet," shares the meli root with one proposed explanation of Melinda but is likewise a distinct name. A popular modern account treats Melinda as a blend of Melissa and Linda; those names have their own separate histories, and the blend is a later convenience rather than a documented derivation.

How Popular is the Name Melinda?

Melinda recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1970. Melinda ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1965 through 1965, then returned in 1967 and remained through 1980.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Famous People Named Melinda

Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates

Explore Name Lists Featuring Melinda

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

Past Favorite Girl Names

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How the Name Melinda Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.

✦ Melinda's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Melinda's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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