Fun Facts About the Name Melek
- 644 babies named Melek: U.S. records list 644 babies given the name Melek from 1880 through 2025. Even 67 boys received the name Melek - about 1 boy for every 9 girls.
What Does the Name Melek Mean?
Melek is a feminine given name meaning "angel." It is the Turkish form of Arabic malak (مَلَك), "angel," the singular of malāʾika. Turkish took the word from Arabic, and because melek is also the ordinary Turkish noun for an angel, the name's meaning is transparent to Turkish speakers.
The etymology of Arabic malak is disputed. One explanation connects it to the Semitic root m-l-k, "to rule, to possess," which also gives Arabic malik "king," Hebrew melekh "king," and Akkadian malku "king"; on this view an angel is named as a powerful or governing agent. A second explanation treats malak as a shortened form of an older Semitic word for "messenger," malʾak-, which appears in Hebrew as malʾakh (מַלְאָךְ, "messenger, angel") and in Aramaic as malʾakhā. Which derivation is correct is still unsettled, but the customary meaning "angel" is not in doubt.
A separate Hebrew name, usually transliterated Melech (מֶלֶךְ), means "king" and is borne by a minor figure in the genealogy of Benjamin in 1 Chronicles. It shares the Semitic kingship root with Arabic malik, but it is a different name and is not the source of the Turkish and Arabic Melek.
Melek Name History & Origins
The word behind Melek is old in the Semitic languages. Hebrew malʾakh is used in the Hebrew Bible for both human messengers and heavenly beings, and Aramaic has the related malʾakhā. In Arabic, malak is the standard word for an angel and occurs in the Quran, where the plural malāʾika is frequent. The word traveled with Arabic into Turkish, Persian, Urdu, and other languages.
In Turkish, melek became the everyday word for "angel" and also a common feminine given name. The name is used in the Balkans as well, including among Bosniaks and Albanians, where Turkish and Islamic naming customs overlap.
The Hebrew name Melech appears only as a minor genealogical figure in 1 Chronicles, in the line of Saul and Jonathan, and was not a widely used name. It is distinct in origin from the Turkish and Arabic Melek, despite the similar look of the two in English spelling.
How Popular is the Name Melek?
Melek has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #2,001 in 2021.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,139 | 35 | 0.0022% |
| 2024 | #2,948 | 56 | 0.0035% |
| 2023 | #2,960 | 57 | 0.0036% |
| 2022 | #2,002 | 98 | 0.0060% |
| 2021 | #2,001 | 97 | 0.0059% |
| 2020 | #7,447 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #7,224 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2018 | #6,424 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2017 | #7,314 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #7,864 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #7,170 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2014 | #10,673 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #7,282 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #6,501 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2011 | #8,993 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #8,166 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2009 | #6,471 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #9,331 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #11,367 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #13,990 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #17,889 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #12,526 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #13,504 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #10,489 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #10,229 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #10,410 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #13,544 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #13,650 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #10,386 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #10,613 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #12,577 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #10,006 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #7,524 | 7 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Melek
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with M
Short Girl Names That Start with M
How the Name Melek Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Melek's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Melek's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.