| Melina | Eleni | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Honey | Torch; bright light (disputed) |
| Origin | Greek | greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | muh-LEE-nah | eh-LEH-nee |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1883 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2009 (681) | 2024 (255) |
| In 2025 | 434 | 0 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Melina | Eleni |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,724 | 1,216 |
| 2010s | 4,946 | 1,420 |
| 2000s | 5,413 | 1,319 |
| 1990s | 3,089 | 1,275 |
| 1980s | 1,634 | 762 |
| 1970s | 1,104 | 469 |
| 1960s | 616 | 239 |
| 1950s | 118 | 100 |
| 1940s | 34 | 22 |
| 1930s | 16 | 0 |
| 1920s | 57 | 0 |
| 1910s | 82 | 0 |
| 1900s | 40 | 0 |
| 1890s | 36 | 0 |
| 1880s | 17 | 0 |
Melina is linked to the Greek for “honey.”
Modern Greek form of Helen/Helene. The etymology is uncertain: most often linked to Greek 'hele' ('torch') or a root meaning 'shine/bright', with some scholars instead proposing a connection to the moon or a pre-Greek word of unknown meaning. The 'torch/bright light' reading is traditional but not settled.
Melina is more popular than Eleni today: about 434 US babies were given the name Melina in 2025, compared with 0 named Eleni.
Melina means Honey (Greek origin), while Eleni means Torch; bright light (disputed) (greek origin).
In US records, Melina first appears in 1883 and Eleni in 0, so Eleni has the longer recorded history.