Melody
Melody is a girl's name of Greek origin.
Meaning
Song, tune, or singing.
Origin and history
Melody is derived from the Greek word 'meloidia', meaning song or tune. It emerged as an English vocabulary name in the 18th century and gained steady popularity as a given name in the 20th century. In the United States, it remains a well-established and melodious musical name.
Popularity in the United States
114,914 babies in the United States have been named Melody since 1880. It ranks #338 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #105.
States where it is most popular
- CA (16.1 %)
- TX (9.6 %)
- NY (5.8 %)
- FL (4.9 %)
- IL (4.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 7 |
| 1920-1930 | 42 |
| 1930-1940 | 169 |
| 1940-1950 | 3,757 |
| 1950-1960 | 15,526 |
| 1960-1970 | 18,469 |
| 1970-1980 | 12,302 |
| 1980-1990 | 10,375 |
| 1990-2000 | 7,527 |
| 2000-2010 | 10,848 |
| 2010-2019 | 19,879 |
| 2020-2029 | 16,013 |
Famous people named Melody
- Melody Gardot: Singer, Songwriter
- Melody Thomas Scott: Actress
- Melody Thornton: Singer, Dancer
Nicknames
Mel
Fun facts
- The name stems from the Greek elements 'melos' (song) and 'aoide' (to sing).
- Melody was part of a broader mid-20th-century trend of using musical terminology as English given names.