Melva

Last seen for girls in 2024 at #15,293 · Last seen for boys in 1941 at #3,133
Given to girls 99.8% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1937 · 300 births
Debut · girls
6 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
14,155
since 1880

Melva over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Melva has never cracked the top 300 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201951peak #371, 1937girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025——
2024#15,2935—
2023——
2022——
2021——
2020——
2019——
2018——
2017#15,9025—
2016——
2015——
2014#16,5135—
2013#14,5826—
2012——
2011——
2010——
2009——
2008——
2007#15,4916—
2006#13,6067—
2005#13,0107—
2004#12,7617—
2003——
2002——
2001——
2000#11,8017—
1999#14,4115—
1998——
1997#9,8028—
1996#8,8129—
1995#8,07910—
1994#8,12210—
1993#5,67316—
1992#9,4918—
1991#4,65021—
1990#3,62329—
1989#5,04917—
1988#4,17221—
1987#5,31214—
1986#4,53917—
1985#5,07714—
1984#3,61322—
1983#2,85330—
1982#3,53023—
1981#2,65734—
1980#1,98153—
1979#1,91754—
1978#2,23741—
1977#1,95250—
1976#2,13540—
1975#1,87748—
1974#1,57860—
1973#1,62256—
1972#1,54160—
1971#1,25388—
1970#1,63757—
1969#1,20885—
1968#1,34768—
1967#1,19679—
1966#1,07296—
1965#989110—
1964#1,047107—
1963#1,073101—
1962#957123—
1961#972123—
1960#851149—
1959#941124—
1958#780164—
1957#738185—
1956#677201—
1955#675193—
1954#633207—
1953#613208—
1952#578224—
1951#521253—
1950#566218—
1949#545235—
1948#578210—
1947#535247—
1946#524224—
1945#469233—
1944#482220—
1943#441283—
1942#453264—
1941#424262#3,1336
1940#399290#3,1306
1939#401280#3,4805
1938#378308#3,5345
1937#371300—
1936#384274—
1935#381276—
1934#417246—
1933#407244—
1932#376296—
1931#392277—
1930#407258—
1929#389300—
1928#407276—
1927#405285—
1926#422263#3,1398
1925#416276—
1924#408288—
1923#390291—
1922#430239—
1921#403284—
1920#396279—
1919#418241—
1918#465206—
1917#431220—
1916#416225—
1915#419207—
1914#470135—
1913#461117—
1912#461106—
1911#56457—
1910#48071—
1909#57445—
1908#49354—
1907#50051—
1906#57837—
1905#50645—
1904#52939—
1903#53936—
1902#61229—
1901#63025—
1900#76023—
1899#68021—
1898#82117—
1897#78616—
1896#79017—
1895#78816—
1894#90512—
1893#95510—
1892#63820—
1891#9439—
1890#79112—
1889#83910—
1888#79311—
1887#8608—
1886——
1885——
1884——
1883#9205—
1882——
1881——
1880#7386—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Melva was already there! It came in at #738, and was given to 6 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1881–1886, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Melva is popular in 1951

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNHWashington: #443 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,161 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMNIllinois: #533 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 8,352 girlsILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedWIMichigan: #602 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 11,212 girlsMINew York: #828 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 18,714 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedINOhio: #441 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 6,525 girlsOHPennsylvania: #570 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 10,849 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #769 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 12,092 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNEMissouri: #527 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 8,229 girlsMOKentucky: #497 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 6,785 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedWVVirginia: #480 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 6,248 girlsVAMaryland: #393 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,940 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNMKansas: #268 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,170 girlsKSArkansas: #298 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,291 girlsARTennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: #613 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 10,108 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: #300 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,540 girlsDCOklahoma: #217 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,541 girlsOKLouisiana: #320 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 2,215 girlsLAMississippi: #421 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 4,086 girlsMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedALGeorgia: #573 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 8,583 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedHITexas: #360 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 2,683 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Oklahoma#217 · 1 in 1,541
  2. Kansas#268 · 1 in 2,170
  3. Arkansas#298 · 1 in 2,291
  4. District of Columbia#300 · 1 in 2,540
  5. Louisiana#320 · 1 in 2,215

Best ever in a state: #107 in Utah, 1913.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oklahoma#217141 in 1,541
Kansas#26891 in 2,170
Arkansas#29891 in 2,291
District of Columbia#30051 in 2,540
Louisiana#320161 in 2,215
Texas#360381 in 2,683
Maryland#39351 in 4,940
Mississippi#42171 in 4,086
Ohio#441141 in 6,525
Washington#44351 in 5,161
Virginia#48061 in 6,248
Kentucky#49751 in 6,785
Missouri#52751 in 8,229
Illinois#533111 in 8,352
Pennsylvania#570101 in 10,849
Georgia#57351 in 8,583
Michigan#60271 in 11,212
North Carolina#61351 in 10,108
California#769101 in 12,092
New York#82881 in 18,714
Alabama———
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Arizona———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
Florida———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Indiana———
Iowa———
Maine———
Massachusetts———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Tennessee———
Utah———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
Wisconsin———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls 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 Melva
Momentum · girls
Faded out
  • Not published in 2025; last seen 2024
  • Biggest jump: 305 spots in 1892 (#943 → #638)
  • Biggest drop: 317 spots in 1893 (#638 → #955)
Rise & fade · girls
57 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1937 at #371 (300 births)
  • Births halved by 1959, 22 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 79 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 79 yrs · run 1887–1962
Share of babies · girls
1 in 3,547
  • Highest: 1 in 3,547 girls born in 1937 were named Melva (0.03%)
  • Latest: 1 in 324,038 girls born in 2024 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 19.6% of all girls named Melva (2,781) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s40#738 (1880)#830
1890s150#638 (1892)#810
1900s384#493 (1908)#572
1910s1,585#416 (1916)#459
1920s2,781#389 (1929)#407
1930s2,759#371 (1937)#391
1940s2,468#399 (1940)#485
1950s1,977#521 (1951)#672
1960s1,041#851 (1960)#1,071
1970s554#1,253 (1971)#1,775
1980s245#1,981 (1980)#3,878
1990s116#3,623 (1990)#8,074
2000s34#11,801 (2000)#13,334
2010s16#14,582 (2013)#15,666
2020s5#15,293 (2024)#15,293

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Melva in 1951

girls
#521
253 births · 1 in 7,118 girls

Top girls' names in 1951

  1. #1Linda73,982
  2. #2Mary65,721
  3. #3Patricia56,446
  4. #4Deborah42,053
  5. #5Barbara40,617
  6. #6Susan40,228
  7. #7Nancy30,346
  8. #8Karen27,998
  9. #9Sandra27,665
  10. #10Kathleen26,716
  11. #521Melva253
More about 1951

girls

1,800,859 girls got a published name in 1951; 1 in 7,118 of them was named Melva, which outranked 91.6% of the 6,213 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Melva
  1. #518Benita255
  2. #518Clare255
  3. #520Candy254
  4. #521Melva253
  5. #521Lucia253
  6. #521Marylou253
  7. #524Alexis252
  8. #524Allison252
  9. #524Etta252

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 345Rhona#1,333 → #988
  2. ↑ 307Bobbi#1,153 → #846
  3. ↑ 296Ricki#1,090 → #794
  4. ↑ 295Mindy#771 → #476
  5. ↑ 288Sharleen#1,053 → #765
Fallers
  1. ↓ 395Sharman#668 → #1,063
  2. ↓ 343Manuela#773 → #1,116
  3. ↓ 294Allie#945 → #1,239
  4. ↓ 253Merrie#937 → #1,190
  5. ↓ 252Olive#891 → #1,143

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1951 →