The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Melanie!

Comments and insights on the name Melanie: | Edit

Extremely popular in England and Australia in the 1960s and 1970s.

Personal experiences with the name Melanie: | Edit

I love having the name Melanie. I get a lot of compliments on it as a pretty name. I like that it's not too popular but usually recognizable. I have had a couple acquaintances named Melanie, but never in the same class or team. I also have a twin, her name is Natalie.

Nicknames for Melanie: | Edit

Mel, Mela, Melly, Mellie

Meanings and history of the name Melanie: | Edit

From Greek, meaning "black" or "dark"
Derived from "Melanos", the Greek goddess Demeter's name during the six months of the year she spent in Hades (corresponding to the winter months) with her daughter, Persephone.

Famous real-life people named Melanie: | Edit

Melanie Griffith, American actress
Melanie Mayron, American actress best known for her role in the TV series "Thirtysomething"
Melanie Lynskey, New Zealand-born actress best known for her roles in "Heavenly Creatures", "Coyote Ugly", "Two and a Half Men", and "Detroit Rock City"
Melanie Thernstrom, American author
Melanie, American pop singer best known for "Brand New Key" (born Melanie Safka)
Two of the Spice Girls had this name: Melanie Brown "Scary Spice" and Melanie Chisholm "Sporty Spice"

Melanie in song, story & screen: | Edit

Melanie Hamilton Wilkes, character in "Gone With The Wind"
Melanie Carmichael, character in "Sweet Home Alabama"
Melanie Brodie, character on '80s teen series Degrassi Junior High
Melanie Stryder, character in "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer
Melanie Gustoffson, character in "Grumpy Old Men"
Melanie Daniels, character in "The Birds"
"Melanie", song by Guster
"Melanie", song by Weird Al Yankovic

"Melanie Layton", a character on Days of our Lives