Melva
Melva is a girl's name of Celtic origin.
Meaning
Gentle chief or mill friend.
Origin and history
Melva is a feminine name generally regarded as a variant of Melvina or Malvina, which has Celtic roots meaning 'gentle chief'. It gained moderate popularity in the early-to-mid 20th century in the United States, but has since become rare.
Popularity in the United States
14,155 babies in the United States have been named Melva since 1880. It ranks #1324 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #2096.
States where it is most popular
- TX (15.9 %)
- PA (6.7 %)
- OK (6.5 %)
- CA (5.6 %)
- MO (5.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 40 |
| 1890-1900 | 150 |
| 1900-1910 | 384 |
| 1910-1920 | 1,585 |
| 1920-1930 | 2,781 |
| 1930-1940 | 2,759 |
| 1940-1950 | 2,468 |
| 1950-1960 | 1,977 |
| 1960-1970 | 1,041 |
| 1970-1980 | 554 |
| 1980-1990 | 245 |
| 1990-2000 | 116 |
| 2000-2010 | 34 |
| 2010-2019 | 16 |
| 2020-2029 | 5 |
Famous people named Melva
- Melva Blancett: Actress
Nicknames
Mel
Fun facts
- Melva is closely associated with Malvina, a name created by James Macpherson in his 18th-century Ossian poems.
- The name was most commonly given in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s.