Total births
3,693
Unisex name · since 1902
Mel
3,693 babies named Mel in U.S. Social Security records since 1902, with the highest year being 1958. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #8349
- among boys today
- 3,693
- born since 1902
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Mel is the #8349 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 3,693 recorded since 1902.
Mel has 3,693 recorded births among boys since 1902, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #8349 as of the latest data, more common than 42% of boys, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1902 to 2025.
- #8349 among boys today
- 3,693 born since 1902
- 1950s peak decade
- 42% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Mel is currently the #8349 unisex name in America, more common than 42% of boys - 3,693 born since 1902, peaking in the 1950s.
- #8349
- among boys today
- 3,693
- born since 1902
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Mel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8349
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 42% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Mel was born in this single decade.
1958
Single peak year
120 babies were named Mel in 1958 - its busiest year on record.
How Mel compares
3,693 Top 15% higher than 85% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Mel's all-time total is 10x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Mel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,693 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 120 | 23 | 22,252 |
Mel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Mel's SSA record in two at 1966 and the more recent half accounts for 27% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 73%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1902, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1958 peak of 120, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Mel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1958
Current rank
#8,349
Active since
1902
Mel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1902–2025
- Peak year (1958)
- 120
- Annual births at peak, across 124 years of records
Mel popularity over time - girls
508 total births recorded since 1916 (Mel as girls' name)
Mel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Mel's strongest decade.
843 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Mel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 17
1900s
17 births
- 1910s 94
1910s
94 births
- 1920s 151
1920s
151 births
- 1930s
1930s
355 births
- 1940s
1940s
731 births
- 1950s
1950s
843 births
- 1960s
1960s
686 births
- 1970s 266
1970s
266 births
- 1980s 143
1980s
143 births
- 1990s 141
1990s
141 births
- 2000s 137
2000s
137 births
- 2010s 74
2010s
74 births
- 2020s 55
2020s
55 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 843 births (23% of all-time use).
How Mel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Mel's total volume
Mel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Mel by state
Where Mel concentrates geographically, total births since 1902
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 452 | 12.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 316 | 8.6% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 162 | 4.4% |
| #4 | Texas | | 90 | 2.4% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 88 | 2.4% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 37 | 1.0% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 13 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Oklahoma | | 10 | 0.3% |
California share of Mel's total US births 12.2%
Even split
452 of 3,693 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Mel appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Mel? ▼
3,693 babies have been named Mel since 1902. It currently ranks #8349 among boys. The peak year was 1958 with 120 births.
When was Mel most popular? ▼
Mel was most popular in the 1950s decade with 843 total births. The single peak year was 1958.
Where is Mel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Mel are California (452 births), New York (316 births), Illinois (162 births).
Is Mel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Mel is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 3,693 births, and as a girl's name it has 508 births.
How long has the name Mel been used? ▼
Records for Mel go back to 1902, giving 124 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Mel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Melvin, Melvyn, Melton, Melissa, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Mel's data
- Mel's decade-level peak was the 1950s (843 total births); usage has since declined to 55 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Mels (452 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Mel
Nearby Names Like Mel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Mel
Melvin Boy
#871 244,936 births
Melvyn Boy
4,360 births
Melton Boy
4,235 births
Melissa Boy
2,495 births
Melville Boy
2,269 births
Compare Mel side by side: Mel vs Melvin Mel vs Melvyn Mel vs Melton
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Mel
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1902–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Mel: #8349 Unisex Name - 3,693 Births, Peak 1958." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/mel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Mel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.