Given name
Mindy
“one who is sweet and gentle”·“one who is worthy of admiration”
In English use, Mindy is a diminutive of Miranda. One Latin interpretation is “one who is worthy of admiration.” Mindy is a form of Melinda. One Latin interpretation is “one who is sweet and gentle.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Mindy carries the interpretation “one who is sweet and gentle.” In English use, Mindy is a diminutive of Miranda. One Latin interpretation is “one who is worthy of admiration.” Mindy is a form of Melinda. One Latin interpretation is “one who is sweet and gentle.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
Mindy is used as a form of Melinda.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1940. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Mindy is a diminutive of Miranda. The history of Miranda gives this family its wider story. Shakespeare created Miranda for The Tempest. Her name takes the feminine form of Latin mirandus, from mirari, “to admire” or “wonder at”—a connection that explains the familiar interpretation “admirable.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Mindy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 42,682
- 67 boys · 42,615 girls
- Most popular year
- 1979
- 3,722 babies
- 2025
- 75
- #2,401 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 75 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,401 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 2.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 3,712 in 1979. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (39). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 39,640 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Mindy’s family of names
In English usage, Mindy is a diminutive of Melinda. Mindy has a related form in Mindi. Mindy is a form of Melinda.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Mirandafull form · French, English
- Melindafull form · French, English
- Mindievariant
- Mindivariant
- Mindeevariant
- Mindavariant
- Mindyelikely variant
- Minddylikely variant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Mindy
- Mindy SterlingAmerican actressborn 1953
- Mindy CohnAmerican actressborn 1966
- Mindy RobinsonAmerican actressborn 1980
- Mindy FinnAmerican academicborn 1980
- Mindy SmithAmerican singerborn 1972
- Mindy Gledhillsinger and songwriterborn 1981
- Mindy Hallmakeup artistborn 2000
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Mindy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Randi
“the wolf shield” · “lustful”
1% boys · 99% girls
Darcie
“a dark beauty”
>99% girls
Merry
“one who is lighthearted and joyful” · “filled with joy”
>99% girls
Beth
“my God is bountiful” · “God is my oath”
>99% girls
Sheryl
“one who is greatly loved; a darling” · “from the bright clearing”
>99% girls
Pamela
“very strange” · “a woman who is as sweet as honey”
>99% girls
Licia
Licia is a variant of Lecia. In English use, Lecia carries the interpretation “woman of the nobility; truthful; having high moral character.”
>99% girls
Chirley
“from the bright clearing”
>99% girls