Melania
Girl name · #1170 in 2025 · Uniqueness 62/100
Melania ranks #1170 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 198 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2103, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,091 girls born in 2025 was named Melania.
Babies named Melania per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 112-year story
Melania first appears in the Social Security records in 1913, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 283 girls were named Melania — good for #932 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Melania against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Melania in class?
Melania scores 62 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Melania is most common
Geography matters for names, and Melania is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Melanias were CA (26), NY (23), TX (21), FL (19), IL (19). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Melania
Statistically, parents drawn to Melania tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zinnia, Milania, Kenia, Malaysia, and Milena.
ZinniaMilaniaKeniaMalaysiaMilenaHaniaAmiliaCordelia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Melania | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 198 | #1170 |
| 2024 | 133 | #1579 |
| 2023 | 113 | #1792 |
| 2022 | 145 | #1497 |
| 2021 | 154 | #1410 |
| 2020 | 192 | #1198 |
| 2019 | 210 | #1145 |
| 2018 | 233 | #1083 |
| 2017 | 283 | #932 |
| 2016 | 131 | #1649 |
| 2015 | 92 | #2103 |
| 2014 | 78 | #2351 |
| 2013 | 97 | #2002 |
| 2012 | 100 | #1955 |
| 2011 | 99 | #1982 |
| 2010 | 82 | #2313 |
| 2009 | 72 | #2568 |
| 2008 | 80 | #2397 |
| 2007 | 79 | #2394 |
| 2006 | 128 | #1651 |
| 2005 | 124 | #1624 |
| 2004 | 30 | #4492 |
| 2003 | 9 | #10425 |
| 2002 | 14 | #7444 |
| 2001 | 19 | #5822 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Melania a popular girl name?
Melania ranked #1170 among girls in 2025 with 198 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2103.
When was the name Melania most popular?
Melania peaked in 2017, when 283 American girls received the name (ranked #932 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Melania?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,091 newborn American girls was named Melania. It scores 62/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.