Total births
4,235
Boys' name · since 1882
Melton
Melton has 4,235 recorded births since 1882 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1921 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 4,235
- total births
- 1882–2015
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 17%
- born in that decade
4,235 boys have been named Melton since 1882, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Melton has 4,235 recorded births among boys since 1882, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1940s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2015.
- 4,235 total births
- 1882–2015 years on record
- 1940s peak decade
- 17% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
4,235 boys have been named Melton since 1882, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 2015.
- 4,235
- total births
- 1882–2015
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 17%
- born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Melton was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
80 babies were named Melton in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
Melton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Melton splits its recorded history at 1948: 40% of all births land in the more recent half, 60% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1889 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1921 peak of 80 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Melton at a glance
Last recorded 2015Peak year
1921
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1882
Melton popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2015
- Peak year (1921)
- 80
- Annual births at peak, across 134 years of records
Melton by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Melton's strongest decade.
710 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Melton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 49
1880s
49 births
- 1890s 53
1890s
53 births
- 1900s 88
1900s
88 births
- 1910s
1910s
416 births
- 1920s
1920s
686 births
- 1930s
1930s
680 births
- 1940s
1940s
710 births
- 1950s
1950s
594 births
- 1960s
1960s
415 births
- 1970s 252
1970s
252 births
- 1980s 142
1980s
142 births
- 1990s 81
1990s
81 births
- 2000s 49
2000s
49 births
- 2010s 20
2010s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 710 births (17% of all-time use).
How Melton 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 Melton's total volume
Melton vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Melton by state
Where Melton concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 644 | 15.2% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 195 | 4.6% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 172 | 4.1% |
| #4 | Louisiana | | 168 | 4.0% |
| #5 | South Carolina | | 145 | 3.4% |
| #6 | Mississippi | | 136 | 3.2% |
| #7 | Alabama | | 124 | 2.9% |
| #8 | Oklahoma | | 102 | 2.4% |
Texas share of Melton's total US births 15.2%
Even split
644 of 4,235 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 14 reporting states.
Melton appears in 14 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Melton? ▼
Since 1882, Social Security records show 4,235 babies named Melton. The most recent recorded year was 2015. Its busiest year on record was 1921, with 80 births.
When was Melton most popular? ▼
Melton was most popular in the 1940s decade with 710 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Melton most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Melton are Texas (644 births), Georgia (195 births), North Carolina (172 births).
How long has the name Melton been used? ▼
Records for Melton go back to 1882, giving 134 years of history through 2015.
What names are similar to Melton? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Melvin, Melvyn, Mel, Melissa, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Melton's data
- Melton's decade-level peak was the 1940s (710 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Meltons (644 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Melton
Nearby Names Like Melton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Melton
Melvin Boy
#871 244,936 births
Melvyn Boy
4,360 births
Mel Boy
#8349 3,693 births
Melissa Boy
2,495 births
Melville Boy
2,269 births
Compare Melton side by side: Melton vs Melvin Melton vs Melvyn Melton vs Mel
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Woody #7271
4,236 births · Peak 1946
Vidal #3170
4,237 births · Peak 1972
Aidyn #2363
4,240 births · Peak 2011
Infant #5756
4,230 births · Peak 1990
Yoel #1499
4,227 births · Peak 2019
Brentley #1786
4,244 births · Peak 2014
Yadiel #1054
4,226 births · Peak 2025
Pranav #2273
4,225 births · Peak 2004
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, 1882–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Melton: Baby Name Since 1882 - 4,235 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/melton. 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 Melton 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.