Mela
Girl name · #4997 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Mela? In official American birth records, Mela has been tracked continuously since 1905, giving it 120 years of documented American history.
Mela is currently the #4997 girl name in the United States — 26 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3989, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 69,231 girls born in 2025 was named Mela.
Babies named Mela per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 120-year story
Mela first appears in the Social Security records in 1905, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 55 girls were named Mela — good for #2962 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mela in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Mela is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Mela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Mela is most common
State-level data for Mela is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Mela
Statistically, parents drawn to Mela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Raela, Xela, Meila, Aela, and Tula.
RaelaXelaMeilaAelaTulaSilaElaMunira
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #4987 |
| 2024 | 24 | #5300 |
| 2023 | 27 | #4873 |
| 2022 | 32 | #4378 |
| 2021 | 33 | #4245 |
| 2020 | 48 | #3221 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2962 |
| 2018 | 40 | #3739 |
| 2017 | 31 | #4477 |
| 2016 | 32 | #4423 |
| 2015 | 37 | #3989 |
| 2014 | 38 | #3925 |
| 2013 | 31 | #4543 |
| 2012 | 29 | #4836 |
| 2011 | 27 | #5063 |
| 2010 | 18 | #6904 |
| 2009 | 15 | #8058 |
| 2008 | 20 | #6559 |
| 2007 | 23 | #5895 |
| 2006 | 24 | #5545 |
| 2005 | 13 | #8330 |
| 2004 | 12 | #8716 |
| 2003 | 7 | #12408 |
| 2002 | 8 | #11108 |
| 1999 | 6 | #12688 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Mela?
In official American birth records, the name Mela first appeared in 1905 (over 120 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 120 years.
Is Mela a popular girl name?
Mela ranked #4997 among girls in 2025 with 26 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3989.
When was the name Mela most popular?
Mela peaked in 2019, when 55 American girls received the name (ranked #2962 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 69,231 newborn American girls was named Mela. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.