The baby name Melaina is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /məˈleɪnə/ (mə-LAY-nə).
Melaina is Greek in Origin.
The baby name Melaina is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /məˈleɪnə/ (mə-LAY-nə).
Melaina is Greek in Origin.
Melaina stems from Ancient Greek melaina (μέλαινα), the feminine form of melas (μέλας), meaning “black, dark.” In Greek religion the epithet Melaina marked deities’ hidden or chthonic aspects - Demeter Melaina at Phigaleia and Artemis Melaina in Arcadia - and a nymph Melaena/Melaina appears in Delphic lore as mother of Delphus. The name evokes night, fertile earth, secrecy, and protective power.
As a given name, Melaina is uncommon in modern use yet preserves the closest Hellenic shape behind later Melania (Latinized) and its French/English descendant Melanie, popularized through the Late Antique saints Melania the Elder and the Younger. Variants and transliterations include Melaena (Classical Latin) and scholarly Mélaina; short forms include Mel and Laina. Related names from the same root are Melania, Melanie, and Melany; Melina is sometimes conflated but etymologically distinct.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR | Boys | 0 | #27 | 1 | 897 |
| Canada | Girls | 2009 | #302 | 6 | 2,893 |
| ZA | 0 | #474 | 1 | 14,421 | |
| RU | Girls | 0 | #522 | 2 | 11,913 |
| CR | Girls | 0 | #573 | 1 | 11,342 |
| United States | Girls | 2024 | #908 | 9 | 8,487 |
| CL | Girls | 0 | #915 | 1 | 14,098 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,014 | 1 | 25,931 |
| MY | Girls | 0 | #1,072 | 1 | 24,821 |
Melaina is popular in 9 countries — most recent births per country:
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