Name
Melanie
Meaning
Melanie is a feminine name of Greek origin meaning “black, dark”.
Melanie descends from the Greek melaina, black or dark, through two Roman saints named Melania who gave away spectacular fortunes. Gone with the Wind's gentle Melanie Wilkes launched its twentieth-century American career, and Melanie Trump-era headlines notwithstanding, it remains a soft classic.
A US top-200 girls' name for over half a century.
Popularity in the United States
Girls
Ranked #142 in 2025 · peak #60 in 1980
Data: US Social Security Administration, top-1000 ranks.
At a glance
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Feminine
- Pronounced
- /MEL-ah-nee/
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Questions
Melanie is a feminine name of Greek origin meaning “black, dark”. Melanie descends from the Greek melaina, black or dark, through two Roman saints named Melania who gave away spectacular fortunes.
Melanie is traditionally a feminine (girl) name. It is a US top-200 girls' name for over half a century.
The name Melanie comes from Greek. Melanie descends from the Greek melaina, black or dark, through two Roman saints named Melania who gave away spectacular fortunes. Gone with the Wind's gentle Melanie Wilkes launched its twentieth-century American career, and Melanie Trump-era headlines notwithstanding, it remains a soft classic.
Melanie is pronounced MEL-ah-nee.
More names that mean dark
Names that share this meaning.