Mel
#6,838 for girls in 2025, 16 births · #7,194 for boys in 2025, 11 births
Given to boys 87.9% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1958 · 120 births
- Debut · boys
- 5 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 3,693since 1902
Mel over time
Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #6,838 | 16 | #7,194 | 11 |
| 2024 | #6,642 | 17 | #8,312 | 9 |
| 2023 | #6,922 | 16 | #7,738 | 10 |
| 2022 | #6,984 | 16 | #8,300 | 9 |
| 2021 | #9,562 | 10 | #8,166 | 9 |
| 2020 | #7,212 | 15 | #9,554 | 7 |
| 2019 | #6,414 | 18 | #9,756 | 7 |
| 2018 | #15,682 | 5 | #7,617 | 10 |
| 2017 | — | #10,775 | 6 | |
| 2016 | #9,411 | 11 | #6,726 | 12 |
| 2015 | #11,835 | 8 | — | |
| 2014 | #16,513 | 5 | #10,717 | 6 |
| 2013 | #13,150 | 7 | #9,655 | 7 |
| 2012 | #14,962 | 6 | #12,274 | 5 |
| 2011 | — | #7,502 | 10 | |
| 2010 | #16,992 | 5 | #7,087 | 11 |
| 2009 | #17,294 | 5 | #9,864 | 7 |
| 2008 | #12,579 | 8 | #6,393 | 13 |
| 2007 | #10,818 | 10 | #5,901 | 14 |
| 2006 | #9,286 | 12 | #4,865 | 18 |
| 2005 | #7,891 | 14 | #6,634 | 11 |
| 2004 | #4,492 | 30 | #5,007 | 16 |
| 2003 | #6,299 | 18 | #3,838 | 22 |
| 2002 | #5,444 | 21 | #5,725 | 12 |
| 2001 | — | #5,667 | 12 | |
| 2000 | — | #5,588 | 12 | |
| 1999 | — | #4,162 | 17 | |
| 1998 | — | #5,466 | 11 | |
| 1997 | — | #4,960 | 12 | |
| 1996 | — | #3,293 | 21 | |
| 1995 | — | #4,280 | 14 | |
| 1994 | — | #4,803 | 12 | |
| 1993 | — | #4,447 | 13 | |
| 1992 | — | #4,564 | 12 | |
| 1991 | — | #4,231 | 13 | |
| 1990 | — | #3,607 | 16 | |
| 1989 | — | #3,325 | 17 | |
| 1988 | — | #3,705 | 13 | |
| 1987 | — | #3,521 | 13 | |
| 1986 | — | #4,457 | 9 | |
| 1985 | — | #4,052 | 10 | |
| 1984 | — | #3,701 | 11 | |
| 1983 | — | #3,630 | 11 | |
| 1982 | — | #2,518 | 19 | |
| 1981 | — | #3,030 | 14 | |
| 1980 | — | #2,058 | 26 | |
| 1979 | — | #2,777 | 16 | |
| 1978 | — | #2,134 | 22 | |
| 1977 | — | #2,556 | 17 | |
| 1976 | #9,284 | 5 | #1,677 | 31 |
| 1975 | — | #1,593 | 32 | |
| 1974 | — | #1,747 | 27 | |
| 1973 | — | #2,036 | 20 | |
| 1972 | — | #1,441 | 35 | |
| 1971 | — | #1,597 | 30 | |
| 1970 | — | #1,396 | 36 | |
| 1969 | — | #1,136 | 47 | |
| 1968 | — | #1,282 | 35 | |
| 1967 | — | #1,018 | 51 | |
| 1966 | — | #916 | 63 | |
| 1965 | #5,817 | 6 | #920 | 65 |
| 1964 | #4,636 | 9 | #839 | 82 |
| 1963 | #5,296 | 7 | #936 | 64 |
| 1962 | #3,033 | 17 | #850 | 79 |
| 1961 | #3,608 | 13 | #762 | 102 |
| 1960 | #2,989 | 17 | #769 | 98 |
| 1959 | #3,619 | 12 | #791 | 94 |
| 1958 | #3,543 | 12 | #688 | 120 |
| 1957 | #2,823 | 17 | #789 | 90 |
| 1956 | #3,493 | 12 | #762 | 93 |
| 1955 | #4,376 | 8 | #893 | 69 |
| 1954 | #5,753 | 5 | #778 | 84 |
| 1953 | #3,269 | 12 | #738 | 94 |
| 1952 | #3,796 | 9 | #794 | 78 |
| 1951 | #5,414 | 5 | #949 | 54 |
| 1950 | — | #830 | 67 | |
| 1949 | #4,235 | 7 | #817 | 70 |
| 1948 | — | #802 | 71 | |
| 1947 | #4,764 | 6 | #698 | 98 |
| 1946 | — | #700 | 86 | |
| 1945 | — | #749 | 67 | |
| 1944 | #4,054 | 6 | #814 | 59 |
| 1943 | #4,691 | 5 | #773 | 71 |
| 1942 | — | #718 | 80 | |
| 1941 | — | #798 | 62 | |
| 1940 | — | #751 | 67 | |
| 1939 | #3,429 | 7 | #846 | 52 |
| 1938 | #4,342 | 5 | #784 | 61 |
| 1937 | — | #957 | 43 | |
| 1936 | — | #940 | 43 | |
| 1935 | — | #1,326 | 26 | |
| 1934 | #4,286 | 5 | #1,024 | 40 |
| 1933 | #4,218 | 5 | #1,540 | 20 |
| 1932 | — | #1,216 | 31 | |
| 1931 | — | #1,538 | 21 | |
| 1930 | — | #1,753 | 18 | |
| 1929 | — | #2,452 | 11 | |
| 1928 | — | #2,162 | 14 | |
| 1927 | #4,286 | 6 | #1,561 | 24 |
| 1926 | — | #1,466 | 25 | |
| 1925 | — | #2,435 | 12 | |
| 1924 | #5,061 | 5 | #2,473 | 12 |
| 1923 | — | #2,331 | 13 | |
| 1922 | — | #1,827 | 19 | |
| 1921 | — | #3,517 | 7 | |
| 1920 | — | #2,231 | 14 | |
| 1919 | #4,251 | 6 | #2,152 | 14 |
| 1918 | — | #1,998 | 16 | |
| 1917 | — | #2,956 | 8 | |
| 1916 | #3,919 | 6 | #2,152 | 13 |
| 1915 | — | #2,070 | 13 | |
| 1914 | — | #2,101 | 10 | |
| 1913 | — | #2,821 | 5 | |
| 1912 | — | #2,544 | 5 | |
| 1911 | — | #1,117 | 10 | |
| 1910 | — | — | ||
| 1909 | — | — | ||
| 1908 | — | — | ||
| 1907 | — | — | ||
| 1906 | — | — | ||
| 1905 | — | — | ||
| 1904 | — | #966 | 7 | |
| 1903 | — | #1,130 | 5 | |
| 1902 | — | #1,137 | 5 | |
| 1901 | — | — | ||
| 1900 | — | — | ||
| 1899 | — | — | ||
| 1898 | — | — | ||
| 1897 | — | — | ||
| 1896 | — | — | ||
| 1895 | — | — | ||
| 1894 | — | — | ||
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | — | ||
| 1891 | — | — | ||
| 1890 | — | — | ||
| 1889 | — | — | ||
| 1888 | — | — | ||
| 1887 | — | — | ||
| 1886 | — | — | ||
| 1885 | — | — | ||
| 1884 | — | — | ||
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five boys were named Mel! It came in at #1,137, and was given to 5 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1905–1910, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.
Where Mel is popular in 1944
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- New York#375 · 1 in 9,183
- Ohio#420 · 1 in 10,418
- California#579 · 1 in 14,088
Best ever in a state: #259 in Oregon, 1958.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | #375 | 12 | 1 in 9,183 |
| Ohio | #420 | 6 | 1 in 10,418 |
| California | #579 | 6 | 1 in 14,088 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Illinois | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Carolina | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Texas | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Mel
- 1,118 spots since 2024 (#8,312 → #7,194)
- 2,360 spots since 2020 (#9,554 → #7,194)
- Biggest jump: 386 spots in 1936 (#1,326 → #940)
- Biggest drop: 119 spots in 1951 (#830 → #949)
- Debuted 1902
- Peaked 1958 at #688 (120 births)
- Births halved by 1967, 9 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 32 yrs · run 1936–1966
- Highest: 1 in 17,265 boys born in 1942 were named Mel (0.01%)
- Latest: 1 in 155,280 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
- Its best rank, #688 in 1958, was only 1 in 17,687 (0.01%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 22.8% of all boys named Mel (843) were born in this decade
- Mostly boys until 2018, mostly girls since
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 17 | #966 (1904) | #1,078 |
| 1910s | 94 | #1,117 (1911) | #2,212 |
| 1920s | 151 | #1,466 (1926) | #2,246 |
| 1930s | 355 | #784 (1938) | #1,192 |
| 1940s | 731 | #698 (1947) | #762 |
| 1950s | 843 | #688 (1958) | #801 |
| 1960s | 686 | #762 (1961) | #943 |
| 1970s | 266 | #1,396 (1970) | #1,895 |
| 1980s | 143 | #2,058 (1980) | #3,400 |
| 1990s | 141 | #3,293 (1996) | #4,381 |
| 2000s | 137 | #3,838 (2003) | #5,948 |
| 2010s | 74 | #6,726 (2016) | #9,123 |
| 2020s | 55 | #7,194 (2025) | #8,211 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Mel in 1944
Top girls' names in 1944
Top boys' names in 1944
More about 1944
girls
1,327,223 girls got a published name in 1944; 1 in 221,204 of them was named Mel, which outranked 22.7% of the 5,243 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #3,687Zelia7
- #3,687Zera7
- #3,687Zeta7
- #4,054Mel6
- #4,054Acquanetta6
- #4,054Adel6
- #4,054Adelene6
- #4,574Adelmira5
- #4,574Adonna5
- #4,574Adra5
Tied with 519 names at #4,054; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,362,875 boys got a published name in 1944; 1 in 23,100 of them was named Mel, which outranked 79.2% of the 3,909 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).