Melinda

Meaning: Not established
Origin: Modern coinage — Coined in the 18th century from names such as Melanie and Melissa with the ending -inda

Nicknames: Mel, Mindy, Mendy, Minda, Mellie

Girl's name · #1985 in the US (2025) · Retro

Popularity over time

Melinda's best rank, #72, came in 1973; it has stepped well back to #1985 today. Roughly 136,000 girls have been named Melinda since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Melinda is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 7 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Melinda ranks in other countries and regions.

#456 in Austria (2025) · #1,004 in Sweden (2025) · #1,332 in Switzerland (2025) · #1,710 in Italy (2024) · #2,135 in France (2025) · #3,478 in Canada (2025) · #3,651 in Ecuador (2025) · #2,772 in England & Wales (2024) · #759 in Belgium (2022) · #562 in Norway (2015) · #902 in Poland (2015) · #209 in Slovakia (2013) and 6 more.

Famous Melindas

Melinda Gates — American philanthropist (born 1964)
Melinda Dillon — American actress (1939–2023)
Melinda Clarke — American actress (born 1969)
Melinda Culea — American actress (born 1955)
Melinda Kinnaman — Swedish-American actress (born 1971)

In stories & tradition

Melinda May — Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. character
Melinda Gordon — Leading character in "Ghost Whisperer"
Melinda Warner — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV series)

What Melindas become

Among 291 notable people named Melinda:

Entertainers appear 1.82× more often than among typical names — e.g. Melinda Dillon, American actress (1939–2023).

Spellings & nicknames

About 88 girls a year are given Mindy as their full name.

Similar names: Malinda · Wendy · Melisa · Belinda · Pamela · Maribel

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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