The baby name Melchior is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced MEL-kee-or (IPA: /ˈmɛlkiɔr/).
Melchior is Hebrew in Origin.
The baby name Melchior is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced MEL-kee-or (IPA: /ˈmɛlkiɔr/).
Melchior is Hebrew in Origin.
Melchior traces to Latin and Greek Melchior, the traditional name of one of the Magi who visit the infant Jesus. Its ultimate roots are commonly explained with Hebrew elements melech/malki “king/my king” and ’or “light,” yielding readings like “king of light” or “my king is light”; the exact etymology remains debated.
Carried by Epiphany lore, the name spread across medieval Christian Europe via liturgy, mystery plays, and art, later seeing occasional revival in Romantic-era naming. Usage today is rare in English but familiar in Iberia, Central Europe, and the Philippines. Notable variants include Melchor (Spanish), Melcior (Catalan), Belchior (Portuguese), Melchiorre (Italian), Melichar (Czech), Menyhért (Hungarian), Melker (Swedish), alongside French, German, Dutch, and Polish Melchior. Diminutives include Mel; related surnames appear as Melchor and Melcher. Associations with wisdom, gifts, and the Epiphany season give the name a stately, luminous character.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BI | 0 | #12 | 1 | 425 | |
| BW | 0 | #19 | 1 | 960 | |
| KR | Boys | 0 | #27 | 1 | 897 |
| ID | 0 | #39 | 1 | 2,238 | |
| BI | Boys | 0 | #41 | 4 | 917 |
| AO | 0 | #77 | 1 | 2,729 | |
| BW | Boys | 0 | #154 | 1 | 4,685 |
| MT | Boys | 0 | #160 | 17 | 4,064 |
| Sweden | Boys | 2020 | #176 | 2 | 1,548 |
| LU | Girls | 0 | #190 | 1 | 4,850 |
| RU | 0 | #194 | 1 | 3,641 | |
| LU | Boys | 0 | #218 | 3 | 4,970 |
| GH | 0 | #248 | 1 | 5,396 | |
| PT | 0 | #250 | 1 | 4,161 | |
| NA | Boys | 0 | #251 | 3 | 6,830 |
| HR | Boys | 0 | #259 | 1 | 3,997 |
| GR | Boys | 0 | #273 | 1 | 6,912 |
| PL | Boys | 0 | #324 | 12 | 6,459 |
| CN | Boys | 0 | #331 | 1 | 9,639 |
| France | Boys | 2021 | #346 | 42 | 2,865 |
| BR | 0 | #360 | 1 | 5,969 | |
| GH | Boys | 0 | #361 | 1 | 8,138 |
| MU | Boys | 0 | #365 | 5 | 8,477 |
| PT | Boys | 0 | #376 | 6 | 7,951 |
| NL | 0 | #382 | 10 | 2,481 | |
| PH | Boys | 0 | #408 | 1 | 11,440 |
| SD | Boys | 0 | #466 | 1 | 10,523 |
| ZA | 0 | #470 | 5 | 14,421 | |
| CM | Boys | 0 | #536 | 15 | 12,054 |
| HK | Boys | 0 | #555 | 3 | 12,905 |
| CM | Girls | 0 | #558 | 3 | 11,671 |
| BR | Boys | 0 | #741 | 11 | 12,213 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #742 | 2 | 18,093 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #806 | 1 | 18,755 |
| NL | Boys | 0 | #838 | 114 | 5,873 |
| TN | 0 | #865 | 1 | 13,765 | |
| United States | Boys | 2007 | #867 | 5 | 7,493 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #926 | 1 | 14,506 |
| Germany | Boys | 0 | #938 | 15 | 5,697 |
| CO | Boys | 0 | #981 | 1 | 15,656 |
| NG | Boys | 0 | #1,001 | 1 | 16,906 |
| MX | Boys | 0 | #1,033 | 1 | 16,355 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,141 | 3 | 22,615 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,159 | 20 | 25,619 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,180 | 3 | 25,439 |
| MA | 0 | #1,199 | 1 | 20,986 | |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,691 | 1 | 28,008 |
Melchior is popular in 38 countries — most recent births per country:
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