What does Thea mean?
Thea means “goddess” in Greek and is also a short form of Dorothea.
What does Melina mean?
Melina is linked to the Greek for “honey.”
Thea vs Melina
Which is more popular?
Thea is more popular than Melina today: about 867 US babies were given the name Thea in 2025, compared with 434 named Melina.
| Thea | Melina | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Goddess | Honey |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | THEE-ah | muh-LEE-nah |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1883 |
| Peak year | 2018 (1,209) | 2009 (681) |
| In 2025 | 867 | 434 |
| Trend | Rising | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Thea
Melina
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Thea | Melina |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5,908 | 2,724 |
| 2010s | 6,408 | 4,946 |
| 2000s | 1,362 | 5,413 |
| 1990s | 952 | 3,089 |
| 1980s | 1,022 | 1,634 |
| 1970s | 1,008 | 1,104 |
| 1960s | 1,099 | 616 |
| 1950s | 1,027 | 118 |
| 1940s | 431 | 34 |
| 1930s | 207 | 16 |
| 1920s | 254 | 57 |
| 1910s | 157 | 82 |
| 1900s | 87 | 40 |
| 1890s | 105 | 36 |
| 1880s | 86 | 17 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Thea or Melina more popular?
Thea is more popular than Melina today: about 867 US babies were given the name Thea in 2025, compared with 434 named Melina.
What is the difference between Thea and Melina?
Thea means Goddess (Greek origin), while Melina means Honey (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Thea or Melina?
In US records, Thea first appears in 1880 and Melina in 1883, so Thea has the longer recorded history.