Total births
4,360
Boys' name · since 1912
Melvyn
Melvyn has 4,360 recorded births since 1912 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1938 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 4,360
- total births
- 1912–2023
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
4,360 boys have been named Melvyn since 1912, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Melvyn has been recorded 4,360 times among boys since 1912, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2023.
- 4,360 total births
- 1912–2023 years on record
- 1940s peak decade
- 34% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
4,360 boys have been named Melvyn since 1912, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 2023.
- 4,360
- total births
- 1912–2023
- years on record
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Melvyn was born in this single decade.
1938
Single peak year
293 babies were named Melvyn in 1938 - its busiest year on record.
Melvyn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Melvyn's full recorded timeline at 1966, 14% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 86% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1912, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1938 peak of 293 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Melvyn at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
1938
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1912
Melvyn popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2023
- Peak year (1938)
- 293
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Melvyn popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1929 (Melvyn as girls' name)
Melvyn by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Melvyn's strongest decade.
1,503 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Melvyn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 136
1910s
136 births
- 1920s 398
1920s
398 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,329 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,503 births
- 1950s 275
1950s
275 births
- 1960s 208
1960s
208 births
- 1970s 118
1970s
118 births
- 1980s 95
1980s
95 births
- 1990s 75
1990s
75 births
- 2000s 130
2000s
130 births
- 2010s 59
2010s
59 births
- 2020s 34
2020s
34 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 1,503 births (34% of all-time use).
How Melvyn 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 Melvyn's total volume
Melvyn vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Melvyn by state
Where Melvyn concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 885 | 20.3% |
| #2 | California | | 256 | 5.9% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 222 | 5.1% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 188 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 119 | 2.7% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 92 | 2.1% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 89 | 2.0% |
| #8 | Hawaii | | 87 | 2.0% |
New York share of Melvyn's total US births 20.3%
Even split
885 of 4,360 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Melvyn appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Melvyn? ▼
4,360 babies have been named Melvyn since 1912. It was last recorded in 2023. The peak year was 1938 with 293 births.
When was Melvyn most popular? ▼
Melvyn was most popular in the 1940s decade with 1,503 total births. The single peak year was 1938.
Where is Melvyn most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Melvyn are New York (885 births), California (256 births), Pennsylvania (222 births).
How long has the name Melvyn been used? ▼
Records for Melvyn go back to 1912, giving 112 years of history through 2023.
What names are similar to Melvyn? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Melvin, Melton, Mel, Melissa, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Melvyn's data
- Melvyn's decade-level peak was the 1940s (1,503 total births); usage has since declined to 34 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Melvyns (885 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Melvyn
Nearby Names Like Melvyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Melvyn
Melvin Boy
#871 244,936 births
Melton Boy
4,235 births
Mel Boy
#8349 3,693 births
Melissa Boy
2,495 births
Melville Boy
2,269 births
Compare Melvyn side by side: Melvyn vs Melvin Melvyn vs Melton Melvyn vs Mel
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Dwaine #9082
4,362 births · Peak 1959
Kamren #2357
4,362 births · Peak 2008
Terrill #11053
4,365 births · Peak 1975
Farrell #12404
4,355 births · Peak 1935
Corwin #4329
4,353 births · Peak 1988
Armond #5667
4,352 births · Peak 1924
Ryne #5717
4,373 births · Peak 1985
Ammon #3161
4,339 births · Peak 2002
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, 1912–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Melvyn: Baby Name Since 1912 - 4,360 Births, Peak 1938." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/melvyn. 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 Melvyn 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.