Melanie is a feminine given name derived from the Greek μελανία (melania), "blackness",Henry George Liddell; Robert Scott; "μελα^ν-ία , ἡ, (μέλας)". A Greek-English Lexicon at the Perseus Digital Library. and that from μέλας (melas), meaning "dark".Melas, Henry George Liddell; Robert Scott. "μέλα_ς". A Greek-English Lexicon at the Perseus Digital Library. Borne in its Latin form by two saints, Melania the Elder and her granddaughter Melania the Younger,"Melanie". Behind the Name. the name was introduced to England by the Normans in its French form Melanie. However, the name only became common in English usage in the 1930s because of the popularity of Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and its 1939 film adaptation, as one of the novel's main characters was named Melanie Hamilton. The name's popularity increased until the 1970s, since remaining constant. Melanie was the 80th most popular name for girls born in the United States in 1957 and, as Mélanie, it was the 86th most popular name for girls born in France in 2004.
People named Melanie Female Mary Melanie Holliday (1850–1939), American Roman Catholic nun, and nurse during the American Civil War Melanie Abrams, American writer; former wife of writer Vikram Chandra (novelist) Melanie Adams (born 1969), American educator and museum administrator Melanie Amann (born 1978), German journalist and lawyer Melanie Amaro (born 1992), American singer Melanie Amna Abas, British psychiatric epidemiologist and professor Melanie Appleby (1966–1990), English singer; past member of pop duo Mel and Kim Melanie Arndt (born 1977), German environmental historian Melanie B. Jacobs, American legal scholar and administrator Melanie Backe-Hansen, British house historian Melanie Bahlo, Australian statistical geneticist and bioinformatician Melanie Bak (born 1994), Danish handball player Melanie Balcomb (born 1962), American basketball coach Melanie Banville (born 1987), Canadian Olympic gymnast Melanie Barbezat (born 1991), Swiss curler Melanie Barcenas (born 2007), American NWSL player Melanie Bartley (born 1947), British medical sociologist, and retired academic and professor Melanie Batkowski (born 1989), Austrian luger Melanie Bauschke (born 1988), German long jumper Melanie Becker (1966–2020), German-born American physicist and professor Melanie Beddie, Australian actress, director, dramaturg, and acting teacher Melanie Behringer (born 1985), German footballer Melanie Benjamin (disambiguation), several people Melanie Benn, American Paralympic swimmer Melanie Berentz (born 1999), Indonesian actress and beauty pageant titleholder Melanie Berger (born 1982), German politician Melanie Bernier (ski mountaineer) (born 1981), Canadian ski mountaineer Melanie Bernstein (born 1976), German politician Melanie Bilenker (born 1978), American craft artist Melanie Billings (?–2009), American murder victim Melanie Blake, English talent agent, columnist, and author Melanie Blatt (born 1975), English singer; past member of girl group All Saints Melanie Blokesch (born 1976), German microbiologist and professor Melanie Blunt, American wife of former Governor Matt Blunt Melanie Bolaños (born 1994), Mexican judoka Melanie Bonajo (born 1978), Dutch artist, filmmaker, feminist, sexological bodyworker Melanie Bong (born 1968), German jazz singer Melanie Booth (born 1984), Canadian NWSL player Melanie Bracewell (born 1995), New Zealand comedian, actress, and scriptwriter Melanie Brinkmann, German virologist Melanie Bromley, British-born American entertainment journalist and broadcaster Melanie Brown (born 1975), English singer, songwriter, dancer, television personality, and actress; past member of girl group Spice Girls Melanie Bruce (born 1972), English ice dancer Melanie Buckley (born 1982), English chess player Melanie Buddemeyer (born c. 1966), American competition swimmer Melanie Burke, New Zealand triathlete Melanie Calvert, British epidemiologist and professor Melanie Camp (born 1979), Australian-born American actress, and radio- and television presenter Melanie Campbell, Canadian professor of physics Melanie Capobianco, American mother in the Supreme Court decision Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl Melanie Carpenter (1971–1995), Canadian murder victim Melanie Carpenter (politician), American politician Melanie Cervantes, Xicana artist and activist Melanie Challenger, British writer, researcher, and broadcaster Melanie Chandra (born 1986), American actress and model Melanie Chartoff (born 1948), American actress and comedian Melanie Cheng, Australian-born Hong Kong doctor and author Melanie Chisholm (born 1974), English singer and songwriter; past member of girl group Spice Girls Melanie Clarke (born 1982), English Paralympic wheelchair archer Melanie Clark Pullen (1975–2022), Irish actress, film producer, and writer Melanie Clewlow (born 1976), English field hockey player Melanie Cline (born 1975), American BMX racer Melanie Clore (born 1960), British auctioneer Melanie Cole (born 1968), Canadian Olympic ice dancer Melanie Collins, American NFL sideline reporter Melanie Cooper, Australian accountant; owner of brewery company Coopers Brewery Melanie Counsell (born 1964), Welsh filmmaker, sculptor, and installation artist Melanie Craft, American romance novelist; former wife of businessman Larry Ellison Melanie Cremer (born 1970), German Olympic field hockey player Melanie Crump (born 1981), British professional celebrity hair- and makeup artist Melanie Cruise (born 1987), American professional wrestler Melanie Dargel (born 2005), German rhythmic gymnast Melanie Davies (born 1961), British physician, academic, and professor Melanie Dawes (born 1966), British economist and administrator Melanie de Lange (born 1978), Dutch Olympic short track speed skater Melanie Delva, Canadian Anglican reconciliation animator and archivist Melanie Denham (born 1981), American rugby union player and coach Melanie Dennison (born 1973), Australian Olympic sailor Melanie Díaz (born 1996), Puerto Rican table tennis player Melanie Diener (born 1967), German operatic- and concert soprano Melanie Dimantas (born 1958), Brazilian screenwriter Melanie Doane (born 1967), Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and music educator Melanie Dodd (born 1973), Australian former Olympic swimmer Melanie Domaschenz (born 1983), Australian Paralympic wheelchair basketball player Melanie Drewery (born 1970), New Zealand children's writer, illustrator, and potter Melanie du Bois, South African actress and motivational speaker Melanie Duff (born 1961), Irish Olympic equestrian Melanie Durrant, Canadian singer Melanie Easter, English Paralympic swimmer, runner, and cyclist Melanie Edwards (born 1973), New Zealand former association footballer Melanie Einzig (born 1967), American street photographer Melanie Erasim (born 1983), Austrian politician Melanie Ester Churella, American beauty pageant titleholder Melanie Ethier (born 1980), Canadian missing teenager since 1996 Melanie Eusebe (born 1977), English author and entrepreneur Melanie Fain (born 1958), American printmaker Melanie Faisst (born 1990), German ski jumper Melanie Faye (born 1998), American R&B musician and social media personality Melanie Felber (born 1991), Danish-Swiss handball player Melanie Fennell, British psychologist Melanie Field (born 1988), American actress and singer Melanie Fiona (born 1983), Canadian R&B singer Melanie Florence, Canadian author Melanie Fontana (born 1986), American singer, composer, and songwriter Melanie Forbes (born 1999), American-born Canadian soccer player Melanie Friend (born c. 1957), English photographer and artist Melanie Fronckowiak (born 1988), Brazilian actress, writer, and television host Melanie Fullerton (born 1962), American actress Melanie García (born 1990), Spanish field hockey player Melanie Garside-Wight (born 1979), English footballer Melanie Gebhardt (born 1994), German sprint canoeist Melanie Ghanime, Lebanese international footballer Melanie Gibbons (born 1978), Australian politician Melanie Giedroyc (born 1968), English comedian, television presenter, and actress Melanie Giles (born 1972), British archaeologist, academic, and professor Melanie Gilligan (born 1979), Canadian-born American video-, performance-, and installation artist Melanie Gillman, American cartoonist, illustrator, and lecturer Melanie Grant (born 1971), English actress, presenter, and singer Melanie Greally, Irish judge and lawyer Melanie Green (born 2001), American professional golfer Melanie Greene, American writer, dancer, and choreographer Melanie Greensmith (born 1964), Australian fashion designer and property investor Melanie Greter, Swiss neuroimmunologist and professor Melanie Griffin, Bahamian politician Melanie Griffith (born 1957), American actress Melanie Groves (born 1979), Australian international netball player Melanie Guile (born 1949), English-born Australian writer Melanie Gutteridge, English actress Melanie Häfliger (born 1982), Swiss retired ice hockey player and current head coach Melanie Hall (1970–2004), English hospital clerical officer and murder victim Melanie Hall (basketball) (born 1977), Australian Paralympic wheelchair basketball player Melanie Hamrick (born 1987), American choreographer, author, and retired ballerina Melanie Harris Higgins, American official and diplomat Melanie Harrison Okoro (born 1982), American marine estuarine and environmental scientist Melanie Harrold (born 1951), Irish singer-songwriter Melanie Hartzog, American social services administrator and former government official Melanie Hasler (born 1998), Swiss Olympic bobsledder Melanie Hauss (born 1982), Swiss professional triathlete Melanie Hawtin (born 1988), Canadian Paralympic wheelchair basketball player Melanie Haz (born 1975), Canadian professional soccer player Melanie Healey (born 1961), Brazilian business executive Melanie Hebert, American journalist Melanie Hernandez Calumpad, birth name of Kyla (Filipino singer) (born 1981), Filipino singer, actress, and television personality Melanie Hill, English actress Melanie Hill, English contestant on reality television series Big Brother (British TV series) series 1 Melanie Hilton, real name of Louise Allen (born 1949), English writer of romance novels Melanie Hoffmann (born 1974), German Olympic footballer Melanie Hofmann (born 1977), Swiss dressage rider Melanie Hogan, Australian documentary film director and producer Melanie Hooper, Australian ballroom- and Latin dancer Melanie Horeschowsky (1901–1983), Austrian stage-, film-, and television actress Melanie Horsnell, Australian singer-songwriter Melanie Howard (born 1993), Australian rugby league footballer Melanie Hudson, English actress and comedian Melanie Hulme (born 1976), New Zealand Olympic softball player Melanie Huml (born 1975), German physician and politician Melanie Hutsell, American actress, comedian, and writer Melanie Iglesias (born 1987), American model, actress, and television personality Melanie Irons, Australian actress and community organizer Melanie Janine Kanaka, Sri Lankan management accounting professional and business personality Melanie Jans (born 1973), Canadian professional squash player Melanie Johnson (born 1955), English politician Melanie Johnson-DeBaufre, American university associate dean Melanie Johnston-Hollitt (born 1974), Australian astrophysicist and professor Melanie Jones (born 1972), English-born Australian cricket commentator and former cricketer Melanie Jones (swimmer) (born 1963/1964), New Zealand swimmer Melanie Joy (born 1966), American social psychologist, non-fiction author, and president of nonprofit advocacy group Beyond Carnism Melanie Jue (born 1988), Canadian CWHL player and coach Melanie Kahane (1910–1988), American interior designer