Given name & surname
Meli
“one who is bitter”
Meli is used as a given name and a surname. One Native American interpretation is “one who is bitter.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Native American interpretation is “one who is bitter.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Native American.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1986. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Meli through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 186
- 0 boys · 186 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 15 babies
- 2025
- 10
- #9,884 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +33%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 10 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 9,884 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 33.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 446 as a first name in 2020; 1,347 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.
Meli’s family of names
Meli has a related form in Melea. Meli has a related form in Mely. Meli has a related form in Melee.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Meli, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Manisa
“one who travels on foot”
>99% girls
Minal
“as sweet as fruit”
>99% girls
Zuni
“'One who is creative”
>99% girls
Oni
“born on sacred ground”
11% boys · 89% girls
Aponi
“resembling a butterfly”
>99% girls
Catori
“a spiritual man”
>99% girls
Oya
“one who has been called for”
>99% girls
Hania
“a spirit warrior”
>99% girls