unisex name
Mel
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 4,993
Ireland
#929
2025 births
Mel is a unisex name with 1 syllable. It is given to both girls and boys — about 14% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 27 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Peaked in 1958, when 132 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 122,805 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1902.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Mel over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 17 |
| 1910s | 106 |
| 1920s | 162 |
| 1930s | 377 |
| 1940s | 755 |
| 1950s | 935 |
| 1960s | 755 |
| 1970s | 271 |
| 1980s | 143 |
| 1990s | 141 |
| 2000s | 255 |
| 2010s | 139 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 145 |
How popular is Mel?
In 2025, Mel was given to 27 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Mel is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Mel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Mel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Mel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Mel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Mel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Mel
How popular is the name Mel?
In 2025, Mel was given to 27 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Mel a girl's or a boy's name?
Mel is used for both girls and boys. About 14% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Mel?
Mel has 1 syllable.
When was Mel most popular?
Mel peaked in 1958, when 132 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Mel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Mel currently ranks #929 in the United States. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.