Total births
1,487
Girls' name · since 1887
Melda
Melda has 1,487 recorded births since 1887 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1925 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 1,487
- total births
- 1887–1975
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- born in that decade
Melda sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 1,487 recorded since 1887.
Melda has 1,487 recorded births among girls since 1887, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1887 to 1975.
- 1,487 total births
- 1887–1975 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 23% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,487 girls have been named Melda since 1887, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1975.
- 1,487
- total births
- 1887–1975
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Melda was born in this single decade.
1925
Single peak year
44 babies were named Melda in 1925 - its busiest year on record.
Melda's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Melda's full recorded timeline at 1934, 44% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 56% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1887, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1925 peak of 44 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Melda at a glance
Last recorded 1975Peak year
1925
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1887
Melda popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1887–1975
- Peak year (1925)
- 44
- Annual births at peak, across 89 years of records
Melda by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Melda's strongest decade.
349 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Melda births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 34
1890s
34 births
- 1900s 102
1900s
102 births
- 1910s
1910s
249 births
- 1920s
1920s
349 births
- 1930s
1930s
238 births
- 1940s
1940s
201 births
- 1950s
1950s
188 births
- 1960s 94
1960s
94 births
- 1970s 27
1970s
27 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 349 births (23% of all-time use).
How Melda compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Melda's total volume
Melda vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Melda by state
Where Melda concentrates geographically, total births since 1887
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 76 | 5.1% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 47 | 3.2% |
| #3 | Texas | | 16 | 1.1% |
| #4 | West Virginia | | 11 | 0.7% |
| #5 | Louisiana | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #6 | Minnesota | | 5 | 0.3% |
Pennsylvania share of Melda's total US births 5.1%
Even split
76 of 1,487 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 6 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Melda? ▼
Melda has been given to 1,487 babies in the U.S. since 1887, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1975. 44 babies were born in 1925, its single highest year.
When was Melda most popular? ▼
Melda was most popular in the 1920s decade with 349 total births. The single peak year was 1925.
Where is Melda most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Melda are Pennsylvania (76 births), Kentucky (47 births), Texas (16 births).
How long has the name Melda been used? ▼
Melda has been recorded in Social Security data since 1887, spanning 89 years of data through 1975.
What names are similar to Melda? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Melissa, Melanie, Melinda, Melody, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Melda's data
- Melda's decade-level peak was the 1920s (349 total births); usage has since declined to 27 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Meldas (76 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania 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 Melda
Nearby Names Like Melda
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Melda
Melissa Girl
#379 760,128 births
Melanie Girl
#122 262,640 births
Melinda Girl
#2099 135,822 births
Melody Girl
#91 114,914 births
Melba Girl
#11152 34,873 births
Compare Melda side by side: Melda vs Melissa Melda vs Melanie Melda vs Melinda
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1887–1975 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Melda: Baby Name Since 1887 - 1,487 Births, Peak 1925." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/melda. 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 Melda 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.