Melanie is a distinctive choice, ranked #934 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Melanie in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#934
US Rank #122
About the Name Melanie
Melanie has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 214 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #239 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Melanie is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #122, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Melanie
Unlikely. With around 38 UK babies named Melanie per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Melanie in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Melanie has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 214 places in the last five years. Its peak was #239 in 1996. Choosing it now means she is likely to be among the last of her generation with this name.
Melanie is more popular in the US (#122) than in the UK (#934). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Melanie include: Melanie Chartoff — Melanie Barbara Chartoff is an American actress and comedian.; Melanie Nolan — Melanie Claire Nolan is a historian and university academic from New Zealand, specialising in labour and gender history.; Melanie Stansbury — Melanie Ann Stansbury is an American politician and former ecology instructor serving as the U..
Melanie appears in the US top 500 at #122 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
38
UK babies named Melanie (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 214 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Melanie
Likely around 1 other Melanie in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Melanie
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Melanie Barbara Chartoff is an American actress and comedian. Chartoff first became famous for her comedy work on the ABC series Fridays, and in the 1990s Fox sitcom Parker Lewis Can't Lose.
Melanie Claire Nolan is a historian and university academic from New Zealand, specialising in labour and gender history. She is the director of the National Centre of Biography at the Australian National University, and general editor of the Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB).
Melanie Ann Stansbury is an American politician and former ecology instructor serving as the U.S. representative for New Mexico's 1st congressional district since 2021.
Melanie Lyn McGuire is an American former nurse who was convicted of murdering her husband on April 28, 2004, in what media dubbed the "Suitcase Murder". She was sentenced to life in prison, on July 19, 2007, and is serving her sentence at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Clinton, New Jersey.
Melanie Magali Barcenas is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She was the youngest player in the NWSL when she was signed at the age of 15 in 2023.
Melanie Nicholls-King is a Canadian actress, perhaps best known for playing Cheryl in the drama series The Wire, and for her portrayal of Officer Noelle Williams in the drama series Rookie Blue.