Melanie Griffith, actress.

From an Old French form of Latin Melania, a derivative of the feminine form, melania, of the Greek adjective melas 'black, dark'. This was the name of two Roman saints of the 5th century, a grandmother and granddaughter. St Melania the Younger was a member of a rich patrician family. She led an austere and devout Christian life and, on inheriting her father's wealth, she emancipated her slaves, sold her property, and gave the proceeds to the poor. She also established several contemplative houses, including one on the Mount of Olives, to which she eventually retired. The name Melanie was introduced to England from France in the Middle Ages, but died out again. It was reintroduced and became popular in the late 20th century.

French Meaning: The name Melanie is a French baby name. In French the meaning of the name Melanie is: Dark.

Greek Meaning: The name Melanie is a Greek baby name. In Greek the meaning of the name Melanie is: Dark.

American Meaning: The name Melanie is an American baby name. In American the meaning of the name Melanie is: Dark.

Latin Meaning: The name Melanie is a Latin baby name. In Latin the meaning of the name Melanie is: The black one. Dark. Famous Bearer: A character in Margaret Mitchell's 'Gone with the Wind'.

Melanie first hit the charts in the ’30s -- the same decade the wildly popular book and movie Gone With the Wind, featuring a character named Melanie Wilkes, came out. The name surged in popularity in the ’70s, peaking at number 42 in ’72. Though it’s dropped since then, it’s experienced somewhat of a renaissance in the last few years, and since it was never a mega-trendy name, remains a pretty, viable option. It stems from the French form of the Latin “Melania,” which means “black” or “dark.”

From the French form of the Latin name Melania, derived from Greek μελαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name. The name was common in France during the Middle Ages, and was it introduced from there to England, though it eventually became rare. Interest in it was revived by the character Melanie Wilkes from the novel 'Gone with the Wind' (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939).