Origin, Meaning, And History Of Melinda
Melinda is a classic feminine name with roots in the Greek and Latin languages. The meaning of the name is ‘sweet.’ In the English language, the word stands for ‘beautiful honey.’ A common theory is that it is derived from the Greek word ‘Melissa,’ which means ‘honeybee.’
This name is a combination word. It consists of ‘Mel’ and the ‘inda’ suffix. The term Mel has roots in the Greek name Melanie, derived from ‘Melaina’ meaning blackness, and ‘melas,’ which also means dark. Most commonly, the name is linked to the Greek word meli, which means honey.
Scholars often regard Melinda as a created name. Although its traces are in Greek and English, there’s not much clarity over its origins. A common assumption is that the name was created in the 18th century, spurred by the rise of names like Belinda. The first element in the name Belinda is related to the Italian term Bella, which means beautiful. The second element in the name is thought to be the old German word lind, which means soft, gentle, and tender.
Over the years, Melinda came to acquire a lot of spelling variations. It is Melisa in Albanian, Melanie in Czech, Melissa in Dutch, and Melania in Spanish. Common variants of the name are Lissa, Melina, Missie, and Melantha.
In popular culture, Melinda appears in various places. It is the name of the protagonist in theGhost Whisperermovie, portrayed by Jennifer Love Hewitt.Speak, the powerful novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, also has Melinda ”Mel” Sordino, who narrates the entire story. Various television series also features characters by this name. Two noteworthy mentions are Melinda Mickens in theTrue Bloodseries and Melinda Warren, the legendary figure in the TV seriesCharmed.
Melinda
How To Pronounce Melinda?
Famous People With The Name Melinda
- Melinda Patrice ‘Mindy’ ClarkeAmerican actress, known for her work in the soap Days of Our Lives
- Melinda HillAmerican comedian, known for her roles in Lady Dynamite and Adventure Time
- Melinda J ‘Mindy’ BarbieriAustralian soccer player who represented Australia in the Australia women’s national under-20 soccer team
- Melinda SchwegmannAmerican politician, and the first woman to function as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
- Melinda Jane MessengerEnglish TV presenter who co-presented the reality show Cowboy Builders
Melinda On The Popularity Chart
Melinda was a highly popular traditional name. These graphs depicting its popularity and rank validate the fact.
Popularity Over Time
The name was quite common in the 1980s and 1990s. But its usage has been declining consistently since the late 1990s.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Melinda was in the category of the top 500 baby names till 1996. But after that, its rank started increasing, which reflects declining usage.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Melinda
If you like how Melinda sounds, these names may intrigue you.
Popular Sibling Names For Melinda
Other Popular Names Beginning With M
Names With Same Meaning As Melinda
If you liked the sweet meaning of Melinda, these names could make it to your shortlist of baby names.
Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
In Nautical Flags
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In Sign Language
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In Braille Alphabet
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In Morse Code
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Name Numerology For Melinda
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name Melinda?
The name Melinda means hard worker in germanic, honey in greek, bee, strong work, industrious, highborn power, and variant of melissa.
2. What is the origin of the name Melinda?
Melinda has a Greek origin.
3. How to pronounce the name Melinda?
Melinda is pronounced as muh-lin-duh.
