Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1918

Melville

Meaning Melville is a surname and a given name Gender Boy · 1% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

Melville is a surname and a given name.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Melville
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1918
77 babies
All-time total
2,283
#3,044 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Melville popularity over time

2,283 babies have been named Melville since 1880, 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
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 – 110 110 11 – #436
1890s – 115 115 12 +5% #454
1900s – 116 116 12 +1% #575
1910s – 491 491 49 +323% #632
1920s 14 526 540 54 +10% #798
1930s – 337 337 34 -38% #972
1940s – 255 255 26 -24% #1,183
1950s – 164 164 16 -36% #1,481
1960s – 100 100 10 -39% #2,496
1970s – 50 50 5 -50% #2,963
1980s – 5 5 1 -90% #6,927
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Melville

Melville is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 2,283 American babies have been named Melville. Its peak came in 1918, when 77 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Melville stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Melville?

The median living Melville is about 73 years old; half are between 63 and 81. An estimated 400 people named Melville are alive in the United States today.

median 73 020406080100

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

Melville 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 – – – –
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 – – 9 #3,439
1965 – – 11 #2,572
1960 – – 12 #2,496
1955 – – 12 #2,391
1950 – – 23 #1,565
1945 – – 27 #1,289
1940 – – 30 #1,240
1935 – – 34 #1,139
1930 – – 49 #972
1925 – – 42 #1,086
1920 7 #4,268 60 #894
1915 – – 67 #729
1910 – – 13 #914
1905 – – 10 #824
1900 – – 10 #885
1895 – – 19 #469
1890 – – 6 #959
1885 – – 10 #625
1880 – – 17 #436

Famous people named Melville

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

  1. 1 Melville Fuller Melville Fuller Chief Justice of the United States from 1888 to 1910 1833–1910 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Melville?

The median living Melville is about 73 years old. Half of all living Melvilles are between 63 and 81 years old.

How many people named Melville are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Melville are alive in the United States, based on 2,283 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Melville mean?

Melville is a surname and a given name.

How popular is the name Melville in 2025?

Melville did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Melville?

2,283 babies have been named Melville in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Melville most popular?

Melville peaked in 1918, when 77 newborns received the name.

Is Melville a boy or girl name?

Melville is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 99% of babies with the name.

Is the name Melville rising or falling?

Melville has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Melville?

Well-known people named Melville include Melville Fuller (politician).

Names like Melville

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

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