Melinda
Girl name · #1982 in 2025 · Uniqueness 71/100
In 2025, 97 baby girls were named Melinda, placing it at #1982 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1362, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,557 girls born in 2025 was named Melinda.
The 145-year story
Melinda first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 14 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1970, when 4,225 girls were named Melinda — good for #93 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Melinda per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Melinda against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Melinda in class?
Melinda scores 71 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Melinda will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Melinda is most common
Geography matters for names, and Melinda is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Melindas were CA (16), TX (11), NY (8), IL (7), FL (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Melinda
Statistically, parents drawn to Melinda tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Malinda, Yolanda, Belinda, Lucinda, and Brenda.
MalindaYolandaBelindaLucindaBrendaTamaraDeannaMelisa
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Melinda | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 97 | #1981 |
| 2024 | 91 | #2099 |
| 2023 | 91 | #2107 |
| 2022 | 83 | #2253 |
| 2021 | 93 | #2057 |
| 2020 | 105 | #1849 |
| 2019 | 98 | #1971 |
| 2018 | 120 | #1717 |
| 2017 | 131 | #1643 |
| 2016 | 139 | #1590 |
| 2015 | 174 | #1362 |
| 2014 | 165 | #1391 |
| 2013 | 150 | #1479 |
| 2012 | 174 | #1346 |
| 2011 | 193 | #1237 |
| 2010 | 227 | #1095 |
| 2009 | 209 | #1198 |
| 2008 | 253 | #1036 |
| 2007 | 251 | #1045 |
| 2006 | 252 | #1015 |
| 2005 | 217 | #1096 |
| 2004 | 219 | #1058 |
| 2003 | 209 | #1067 |
| 2002 | 242 | #923 |
| 2001 | 306 | #772 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Melinda a popular girl name?
Melinda ranked #1982 among girls in 2025 with 97 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1362.
When was the name Melinda most popular?
Melinda peaked in 1970, when 4,225 American girls received the name (ranked #93 that year). Since 1970 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Melinda?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,557 newborn American girls was named Melinda. It scores 71/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.