What does Melina mean?
Melina is linked to the Greek for “honey.”
What does Ariadne mean?
Ariadne means “most holy” in Greek; she guides Theseus from the labyrinth.
Melina vs Ariadne
Which is more popular?
Melina is more popular than Ariadne today: about 434 US babies were given the name Melina in 2025, compared with 115 named Ariadne.
| Melina | Ariadne | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Honey | Most holy |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | muh-LEE-nah | ar-ee-AD-nee |
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| First appeared | 1883 | 1960 |
| Peak year | 2009 (681) | 2016 (389) |
| In 2025 | 434 | 115 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Melina
Ariadne
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Melina | Ariadne |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,724 | 1,126 |
| 2010s | 4,946 | 2,589 |
| 2000s | 5,413 | 621 |
| 1990s | 3,089 | 255 |
| 1980s | 1,634 | 100 |
| 1970s | 1,104 | 63 |
| 1960s | 616 | 70 |
| 1950s | 118 | 0 |
| 1940s | 34 | 0 |
| 1930s | 16 | 0 |
| 1920s | 57 | 0 |
| 1910s | 82 | 0 |
| 1900s | 40 | 0 |
| 1890s | 36 | 0 |
| 1880s | 17 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Melina or Ariadne more popular?
Melina is more popular than Ariadne today: about 434 US babies were given the name Melina in 2025, compared with 115 named Ariadne.
What is the difference between Melina and Ariadne?
Melina means Honey (Greek origin), while Ariadne means Most holy (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Melina or Ariadne?
In US records, Melina first appears in 1883 and Ariadne in 1960, so Melina has the longer recorded history.