Given name & surname
Mela
“a dark-skinned beauty”
Mela is a variant of Melanie. One Greek interpretation is “a dark-skinned beauty.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Mela is a variant of Melanie. One Greek interpretation is “a dark-skinned beauty.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Mela is a variant of Melanie. Melanie has been associated with Old French, Latin, and Greek naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Galician usage, Mela is a diminutive of CARME.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1905. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Mela through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,015
- 0 boys · 1,015 girls
- Most popular year
- 2019
- 55 babies
- 2025
- 26
- #5,058 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −31%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 26 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,058 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 31.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 55 in 2019. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 895 as a first name in 2020; 286 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Mela’s family of names
In Polish usage, Mela is a diminutive of Melania. Mela has a related form in Melanie. In Galician usage, Mela is a diminutive of CARME.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Mela has relatives in 3 languages.
4 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Mela
- Mela LeeAmerican voice actressborn 1976
- Mela MuterPolish painter (1876-1967)
- Mela KotelukPolish singerborn 1985
- Mala BakhtiyarIraqi Kurdish politicianborn 1954
- Mela HudsonAmerican actress (1987-2018)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Mela, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Myla
“one who is merciful”
>99% girls
Mila
“one who is industrious and hardworking”
>99% girls
Willa
“will” · “desire”
>99% girls
Briella
Briella is a feminine given name from Hebrew.
>99% girls
Camilla
“a ceremonial attendant; a noble virgin”
>99% girls
Melany
“a dark-skinned beauty”
>99% girls
Mira
“one who is prosperous” · “a peaceful woman”
>99% girls
Selah
“to hang”
1% boys · 99% girls