Melva

Last seen for girls in 2024 at #15,293 · Last seen for boys in 1941 at #3,133
Given to girls 99.8% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1937 · 300 births
Debut · girls
6 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
14,155
since 1880

Melva over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Melva has never cracked the top 300 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201938peak #371, 1937girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025
2024#15,2935
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017#15,9025
2016
2015
2014#16,5135
2013#14,5826
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007#15,4916
2006#13,6067
2005#13,0107
2004#12,7617
2003
2002
2001
2000#11,8017
1999#14,4115
1998
1997#9,8028
1996#8,8129
1995#8,07910
1994#8,12210
1993#5,67316
1992#9,4918
1991#4,65021
1990#3,62329
1989#5,04917
1988#4,17221
1987#5,31214
1986#4,53917
1985#5,07714
1984#3,61322
1983#2,85330
1982#3,53023
1981#2,65734
1980#1,98153
1979#1,91754
1978#2,23741
1977#1,95250
1976#2,13540
1975#1,87748
1974#1,57860
1973#1,62256
1972#1,54160
1971#1,25388
1970#1,63757
1969#1,20885
1968#1,34768
1967#1,19679
1966#1,07296
1965#989110
1964#1,047107
1963#1,073101
1962#957123
1961#972123
1960#851149
1959#941124
1958#780164
1957#738185
1956#677201
1955#675193
1954#633207
1953#613208
1952#578224
1951#521253
1950#566218
1949#545235
1948#578210
1947#535247
1946#524224
1945#469233
1944#482220
1943#441283
1942#453264
1941#424262#3,1336
1940#399290#3,1306
1939#401280#3,4805
1938#378308#3,5345
1937#371300
1936#384274
1935#381276
1934#417246
1933#407244
1932#376296
1931#392277
1930#407258
1929#389300
1928#407276
1927#405285
1926#422263#3,1398
1925#416276
1924#408288
1923#390291
1922#430239
1921#403284
1920#396279
1919#418241
1918#465206
1917#431220
1916#416225
1915#419207
1914#470135
1913#461117
1912#461106
1911#56457
1910#48071
1909#57445
1908#49354
1907#50051
1906#57837
1905#50645
1904#52939
1903#53936
1902#61229
1901#63025
1900#76023
1899#68021
1898#82117
1897#78616
1896#79017
1895#78816
1894#90512
1893#95510
1892#63820
1891#9439
1890#79112
1889#83910
1888#79311
1887#8608
1886
1885
1884
1883#9205
1882
1881
1880#7386
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Melva was already there! It came in at #738, and was given to 6 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1881–1886, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Melva is popular in 1938

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedWAIdaho: #156 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 696 girlsIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #346 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,200 girlsMNIllinois: #436 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 5,521 girlsILWisconsin: #337 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,775 girlsWIMichigan: #416 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 6,039 girlsMINew York: #636 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 14,259 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedSDIowa: #294 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,152 girlsIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedINOhio: #319 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 3,648 girlsOHPennsylvania: #316 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 3,718 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #423 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 4,047 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedUTColorado: #263 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,777 girlsCONebraska: #173 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,129 girlsNEMissouri: #218 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,412 girlsMOKentucky: #327 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,823 girlsKYWest Virginia: #344 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,174 girlsWVVirginia: #364 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,972 girlsVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedNMKansas: #191 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,230 girlsKSArkansas: #352 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,673 girlsARTennessee: #414 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,521 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #514 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 7,393 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #145 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 701 girlsOKLouisiana: #264 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,389 girlsLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedMSAlabama: #342 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,932 girlsALGeorgia: #446 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,135 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedHITexas: #306 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 1,697 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Melva, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Oklahoma#145 · 1 in 701
  2. Idaho#156 · 1 in 696
  3. Nebraska#173 · 1 in 1,129
  4. Kansas#191 · 1 in 1,230
  5. Missouri#218 · 1 in 1,412

Best ever in a state: #107 in Utah, 1913.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oklahoma#145291 in 701
Idaho#15661 in 696
Nebraska#17381 in 1,129
Kansas#191101 in 1,230
Missouri#218191 in 1,412
Colorado#26351 in 1,777
Louisiana#264161 in 1,389
Iowa#29461 in 3,152
Texas#306341 in 1,697
Pennsylvania#316201 in 3,718
Ohio#319141 in 3,648
Kentucky#327101 in 2,823
Wisconsin#33751 in 4,775
Alabama#342101 in 2,932
West Virginia#34461 in 3,174
Minnesota#34651 in 4,200
Arkansas#35271 in 2,673
Virginia#36461 in 3,972
Tennessee#41461 in 4,521
Michigan#41671 in 6,039
California#423111 in 4,047
Illinois#436101 in 5,521
Georgia#44661 in 5,135
North Carolina#51451 in 7,393
New York#63661 in 14,259
Alaska
Arizona
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Hawaii
Indiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Dakota
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
Washington
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Melva
Momentum · girls
Faded out
  • Not published in 2025; last seen 2024
  • Biggest jump: 305 spots in 1892 (#943#638)
  • Biggest drop: 317 spots in 1893 (#638#955)
Rise & fade · girls
57 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1937 at #371 (300 births)
  • Births halved by 1959, 22 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 79 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 79 yrs · run 1887–1962
Share of babies · girls
1 in 3,547
  • Highest: 1 in 3,547 girls born in 1937 were named Melva (0.03%)
  • Latest: 1 in 324,038 girls born in 2024 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1920s
  • 19.6% of all girls named Melva (2,781) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s40#738 (1880)#830
1890s150#638 (1892)#810
1900s384#493 (1908)#572
1910s1,585#416 (1916)#459
1920s2,781#389 (1929)#407
1930s2,759#371 (1937)#391
1940s2,468#399 (1940)#485
1950s1,977#521 (1951)#672
1960s1,041#851 (1960)#1,071
1970s554#1,253 (1971)#1,775
1980s245#1,981 (1980)#3,878
1990s116#3,623 (1990)#8,074
2000s34#11,801 (2000)#13,334
2010s16#14,582 (2013)#15,666
2020s5#15,293 (2024)#15,293

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Melva in 1938

girls
#378
308 births · 1 in 3,583 girls
boys
#3,534
5 births · 1 in 221,829 boys

Top girls' names in 1938

  1. #1Mary56,225
  2. #2Barbara39,277
  3. #3Patricia27,560
  4. #4Betty25,506
  5. #5Shirley23,766
  6. #6Carol19,421
  7. #7Nancy18,951
  8. #8Dorothy16,358
  9. #9Margaret15,330
  10. #10Joan14,303
  11. #378Melva308

Top boys' names in 1938

  1. #1Robert62,271
  2. #2James59,102
  3. #3John50,517
  4. #4William42,433
  5. #5Richard34,385
  6. #6Charles31,151
  7. #7Donald26,677
  8. #8David22,994
  9. #9Thomas21,381
  10. #10Ronald20,295
  11. #3,534Melva5
More about 1938

girls

1,103,456 girls got a published name in 1938; 1 in 3,583 of them was named Melva, which outranked 92.4% of the 4,995 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Melva
  1. #375Arleen310
  2. #376Janette309
  3. #376Marilynn309
  4. #378Melva308
  5. #379Camille307
  6. #380Francis305
  7. #381Rena304
Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. 2,209Danielle#2,940#731
  2. 833Lorelei#1,451#618
  3. 623Helaine#1,493#870
  4. 399Janine#1,330#931
  5. 392Imelda#1,282#890
Fallers
  1. 1,261Noreta#964#2,225
  2. 513Norita#532#1,045
  3. 432Noretta#856#1,288
  4. 366Ferne#950#1,316
  5. 327Verdell#904#1,231

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,109,147 boys got a published name in 1938; 1 in 221,829 of them was named Melva, which outranked 12.4% of the 4,035 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Melva
  1. #3,175Willmer6
  2. #3,175Wyndell6
  3. #3,175Zoltan6
  4. #3,534Melva5
  5. #3,534Able5
  6. #3,534Abundio5
  7. #3,534Adams5

Tied with 501 names at #3,534; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1937
Risers
  1. 1,314Dion#2,197#883
  2. 448Tex#1,212#764
  3. 425Lonny#1,233#808
  4. 401Gonzalo#1,180#779
  5. 383Lance#722#339
Fallers
  1. 741Worth#1,000#1,741
  2. 528Estel#869#1,397
  3. 492Milburn#845#1,337
  4. 412Lonzo#835#1,247
  5. 405Joy#932#1,337

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1938