Melba
Coined by Nellie Melba as a pseudonym; derived from Melbourne.
Every Melba since 1893 — 34,925 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Melba
Melba is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #12,736 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1893, 34,925 American babies have been named Melba. Its peak came in 1924, when 1,003 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Melba stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Melba 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 | 7 | #12,736 | — | — |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,794 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 11 | #9,446 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | 5 | #16,703 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | 8 | #12,384 | — | — |
| 2016 | 10 | #10,601 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | 5 | #18,331 | — | — |
| 2013 | 5 | #18,361 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | 6 | #16,569 | — | — |
| 2008 | 6 | #16,792 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 8 | #12,366 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 7 | #13,155 | — | — |
| 2001 | 6 | #14,724 | — | — |
| 2000 | 17 | #6,392 | — | — |
| 1995 | 10 | #8,516 | — | — |
| 1990 | 23 | #4,333 | — | — |
| 1985 | 18 | #4,382 | — | — |
| 1980 | 46 | #2,206 | — | — |
| 1975 | 69 | #1,493 | — | — |
| 1970 | 94 | #1,205 | — | — |
| 1965 | 144 | #830 | — | — |
| 1960 | 255 | #634 | — | — |
| 1955 | 404 | #446 | — | — |
| 1950 | 393 | #403 | — | — |
| 1945 | 502 | #306 | — | — |
| 1940 | 731 | #232 | — | — |
| 1935 | 758 | #225 | — | — |
| 1930 | 862 | #210 | — | — |
| 1925 | 938 | #210 | — | — |
| 1920 | 907 | #210 | — | — |
| 1915 | 493 | #264 | — | — |
| 1910 | 160 | #305 | — | — |
| 1905 | 102 | #337 | — | — |
| 1900 | 44 | #512 | — | — |
| 1895 | 19 | #735 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Melba
- Melba Moore Singer · b. 1940
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Melba mean?
Coined by Nellie Melba as a pseudonym; derived from Melbourne.
How popular is the name Melba in 2025?
Melba ranked #12,736 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Melba?
34,925 babies have been named Melba in the United States since 1893, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Melba most popular?
Melba peaked in 1924, when 1,003 newborns received the name.
Is Melba a boy or girl name?
Melba is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Melba rising or falling?
Melba is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Melba?
Well-known people named Melba include Melba Moore (singer).