fem. proper name, literally "darkness, blackness," from Latin Melania, from Greek melania "blackness," from melas "black, dark" (see melano-). little used in U.S. before 1940, most popular in 1970s. Melanius was a Roman masc. proper name.
Entries linking to melanie
melano-
word-forming element meaning "black," from Greek melano-, combining form of melas (genitive melanos) "black, dark, murky,"probably from a PIE root *melh-"black, of darkish color" (source also of Sanskrit malinah "dirty, stained, black," Lithuanian mėlynas"blue," Latin mulleus "reddish").