Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1958

Mel

Meaning Mel is a given name Gender Unisex · 12% girls Rank 2025 #7,508 Trend ↑ Rising 21%

Mel is a given name. It is often short for Melech, Melike, Melvyn, Melvin, Amelia, Melfyn, Melanie, Melania, Melika, Melhem, Melina, Melinda, Melody, Melissa, Melita…

Rank 2025
#7,508
among boys · ↑1,244 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
27
named Mel · +4% vs 2024
How common
1 in 155,280
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1958
132 babies
All-time total
4,201
#2,216 all-time among boys
First recorded
1902
in Social Security records

Mel popularity over time

4,201 babies have been named Mel since 1902, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – 17 17 2 – #1,031
1910s 12 94 106 11 +524% #1,173
1920s 11 151 162 16 +53% #1,500
1930s 22 355 377 38 +133% #792
1940s 24 731 755 76 +100% #701
1950s 92 843 935 94 +24% #689
1960s 69 686 755 76 -19% #765
1970s 5 266 271 27 -64% #1,409
1980s – 143 143 14 -47% #2,092
1990s – 141 141 14 -1% #3,363
2000s 118 137 255 26 +81% #3,921
2010s 65 74 139 14 -45% #6,997
2020s (to 2025) 90 55 145 24 +74% #7,508

The story of Mel

Mel is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,508 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1902, 4,201 American babies have been named Mel, about 88% boys and 12% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1958, when 132 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Mel stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Mel?

The median living Mel is about 62 years old; half are between 38 and 71. An estimated 2,800 people named Mel are alive in the United States today.

median 62 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Mel year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 16 #7,031 11 #7,508
2024 17 #6,845 9 #8,752
2023 16 #7,151 10 #8,066
2022 16 #7,185 9 #8,756
2021 10 #10,063 9 #8,603
2020 15 #7,447 7 #10,231
2019 18 #6,612 7 #10,453
2018 5 #17,327 10 #7,967
2017 – – 6 #11,706
2016 11 #9,861 12 #6,997
2015 8 #12,623 – –
2014 5 #18,329 6 #11,660
2013 7 #14,142 7 #10,357
2012 6 #16,231 5 #13,542
2011 – – 10 #7,890
2010 5 #18,907 11 #7,413
2009 5 #19,224 7 #10,611
2008 8 #13,396 13 #6,644
2007 10 #11,366 14 #6,154
2006 12 #9,704 18 #4,984
2005 14 #8,198 11 #6,947
2004 30 #4,573 16 #5,173
2003 18 #6,489 22 #3,921
2002 21 #5,607 12 #5,955
2001 – – 12 #5,901
2000 – – 12 #5,790
1995 – – 14 #4,434
1990 – – 16 #3,719
1985 – – 10 #4,239
1980 – – 26 #2,092
1975 – – 32 #1,616
1970 – – 36 #1,409
1965 6 #6,265 65 #924
1960 17 #3,066 98 #770
1955 8 #4,617 69 #897
1950 – – 67 #832
1945 – – 67 #751
1940 – – 67 #755
1935 – – 26 #1,343
1930 – – 18 #1,794
1925 – – 12 #2,543
1920 – – 14 #2,299
1915 – – 13 #2,137
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Mel

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Mel Gibson Mel Gibson American actor and filmmaker (born 1956) Contemporary
  2. 2 Mel Brooks Mel Brooks American filmmaker, actor and comedian (born 1926) Contemporary
  3. 3 Mel B Mel B British singer and TV personality (born 1975) Contemporary
  4. 4 Mel Blanc Mel Blanc American voice actor and radio personality (1908–1989) Contemporary
  5. 5 Mel Ferrer Mel Ferrer American actor, director and producer (1917–2008) Contemporary
  6. 6 Mel Smith Mel Smith English actor and comedian (1952–2013) Contemporary
  7. 7 Mel Tormé Mel Tormé American recording artist (1925–1999) Contemporary
  8. 8 Mel Collins Mel Collins British musician (born 1947) Contemporary
  9. 9 Mel Daniels Mel Daniels American basketball player and coach (1944–2015) Contemporary
  10. 10 Mel Martínez Mel Martínez American lobbyist and politician (born 1946) Contemporary
  11. 11 Mel Winkler American actor (1941–2020) Contemporary
  12. 12 Mel Charles Welsh footballer 1935–2016 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Mel Ramos Mel Ramos American painter (1935 – 2018) Contemporary
  14. 14 Mel Sheppard Mel Sheppard American athlete 1883–1942 · 19th century
  15. 15 Mel Patton Mel Patton American sprinter 1924–2014 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Mel, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Mel?

The median living Mel is about 62 years old. Half of all living Mels are between 38 and 71 years old.

How many people named Mel are alive today?

An estimated 2,800 people named Mel are alive in the United States, based on 4,201 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Mel mean?

Mel is a given name. It is often short for Melech, Melike, Melvyn, Melvin, Amelia, Melfyn, Melanie, Melania, Melika, Melhem, Melina, Melinda, Melody, Melissa, Melita, Melitta, Melantha, Melanthe, Melvina, Melchior, Melindro, or Melville.

How popular is the name Mel in 2025?

Mel ranked #7,508 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Mel?

4,201 babies have been named Mel in the United States since 1902, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Mel most popular?

Mel peaked in 1958, when 132 newborns received the name.

Is Mel a boy or girl name?

Mel is used for both: about 12% of babies named Mel have been girls and 88% boys.

Is the name Mel rising or falling?

Mel is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Mel?

Well-known people named Mel include Mel Gibson (actor), Mel Brooks (film director), Mel B (singer).

Names like Mel

Names that sound and feel close to Mel: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Mel with similar names → More names starting with M →