Fun Facts About the Name Melly
- 72 babies named Melly: U.S. records list 72 babies given the name Melly from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Melly Mean?
Melly is a shortened, familiar form of names beginning with Mel-, so its meaning is inherited rather than original. The most common source is Melissa, from the Greek melissa, "bee," which comes from meli, "honey." Another frequent source is Melanie, from the Greek melaina, "dark" or "black." Melina is also Greek and is often linked to the same meli root as Melissa, though that derivation is not certain. Melinda is of unclear origin and is sometimes explained as a blend of Melissa and Linda. The -y ending is a common English diminutive suffix and adds no meaning of its own; the spelling Mellie works the same way.
Melly Name History & Origins
Because Melly is a nickname, its history is the history of the longer names behind it. English speakers have formed pet names this way for centuries - Sally from Sarah, Molly from Mary, Jenny from Jane - and Melly follows the same pattern for names beginning with Mel-. Melissa is the oldest of these: it was a Greek word for "bee" and also a personal name, and it appears in Renaissance epic, where Ariosto's Orlando Furioso (1516) gives Melissa as the name of a benevolent sorceress. Melanie came into English through French from the Greek Melania, and Melinda and Melina are later formations.
A well-known literary example is Melanie Hamilton Wilkes, called "Melly" by those close to her in Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (1936). That is a famous use of the nickname, not its origin.
Melly is also used as an independent girl's name in the Netherlands, Germany, and Scandinavia, where it most often shortens Melanie. In English-speaking countries it stays uncommon as a full given name and is used mainly as a family and familiar form. Melly is likewise a surname - the English jazz singer and writer George Melly (1926 - 2007) is one bearer - but a surname of this spelling has its own family history and does not account for the given name's use as a short form.
How Popular is the Name Melly?
Melly 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 2021. Its best rank was #9,351 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 | #16,472 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #16,814 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #14,567 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #10,157 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #9,351 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #17,187 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #17,329 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #18,365 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #19,231 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #17,461 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #16,016 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #15,281 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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 Melly
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How the Name Melly 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.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Melly's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Melly's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.