Given name & surname
Melani
“a dark-skinned beauty”
Melani is a variant of Melanie. One Greek interpretation is “a dark-skinned beauty.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Melani is a variant of Melanie. One Greek interpretation is “a dark-skinned beauty.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Melani is a variant of Melanie. Melanie has been associated with Old French, Latin, and Greek naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1947. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Melani through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,912
- 0 boys · 5,912 girls
- Most popular year
- 2020
- 258 babies
- 2025
- 234
- #1,056 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +15%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 234 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,056 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 15.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (35). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,073 as a first name in 2020; 203 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.
Melani’s family of names
Melani has a related form in Melanie. In English usage, Melani has a conventional equivalent in the German form Melanie.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Melani
- Melani GarcíaSpanish singerborn 2007
- Melani OlivaresSpanish actressborn 1973
- Melani CostaSpanish swimmerborn 1989
- Melani BudiantaIndonesian literature expert and lecturerborn 1954
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Melani, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Milani
Milani is a feminine given name.
>99% girls
Malani
>99% girls
Kalani
“from the heavens”
6% boys · 94% girls
Melody
“a beautiful song”
>99% girls
Kailani
“of the sky and sea”
>99% girls
Nalani
“a calmness of the skies; heaven's calm”
>99% girls
Aylani
>99% girls
Kehlani
>99% girls