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Melinda

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This article is about the name Melinda. For the genus of flies, see Melinda (fly).
Melinda
GenderFemale
Origin
Word/nameGreek
Other names
Related namesMelanie, Melissa, Melina, Mel, Linda, Mindy

Melinda is a feminine given name.

Etymology

The modern name Melinda is a combination of "Mel" with the suffix "-inda".[1] "Mel" can be derived from names such as Melanie meaning "dark, black" in Greek, or from Melissa (μέλισσα) meaning "Honeybee" in Greek. It is also associated with the Greek word meli, meaning "honey", and with Linda, from "lind" meaning "gentle, soft, tender" in the Germanic languages.[2]

Pronunciation

The typical English pronunciation of Melinda is /məˈlɪndə/. In Hungarian however, the stress is on the first syllable: [ˈmɛlindɒ].

Usage and popularity

The name Melinda is used in English and Hungarian. In the United States, its popularity peaked in 1973 at No. 72. In 1990 it was in the top 1000 names in the US, and in 2002 it was in the top 100 names in Hungary. Since its peak the popularity of the name Melinda has been gradually declining in the United States, to last be seen on the top 1000 list in 2002 at No. 932.[3] Variations in spelling include Melynda, Melyndah, Malinda, and Milinda.

József Katona, Hungarian playwright and poet, used the name Melinda first in 1815 in his legendary historical tragedy Bánk bán.

In Hungary, December 2 is the name day for Melinda.

Notable people

Academics

  • Melinda H. Keefe, American art restorer
  • Melinda Mills, British sociologist
  • Melinda Takeuchi, American art historian
  • Melinda Tan, Singaporean linguist
  • Melinda Wortz, American art historian

Actors

Artists

  • Melinda Bordelon, American painter
  • Melinda Doring, Australian costume designer
  • Melinda Looi, Malaysian fashion designer
  • Melinda Rackham, Australian artist

Entertainers

  • Melinda Bam South African model and beauty pageant titleholder
  • Melinda Ledbetter, wife and manager of Brian Wilson
  • Melinda Saxe, American magician

Lawyers

  • Melinda Haag, former US attorney
  • Melinda Harmon, US judge
  • Melinda Taylor, Australian ICC lawyer

Musicians

  • Melinda Caroll, American singer
  • Melinda Doolittle, American singer and American Idol contestant
  • Melinda Kistétényi, Hungarian organist
  • Melinda Maxwell, English oboist and composer
  • Melinda O'Neal, American conductor
  • Melinda Schneider, Australian Country Singer
  • Melinda Watts, American singer and musician

Philanthropists

Politicians

  • Malinda Brumfield White (born 1967), American politician
  • Melinda Bush, Illinois senator
  • Melinda Katz, New York politician
  • Melinda MacLean, Canadian politician
  • Melinda Pavey, Australian politician
  • Melinda Schwegmann, Louisiana state representative and lieutenant-governor
  • Melinda Smyser, Idaho senator
  • Melinda Széky-Sztrémi, Hungarian politician

Reporters

Scientists

  • Melinda Estes, American neuropathologist

Sportswomen

  • Melinda Cooper, American boxer
  • Melinda Copp, Canadian swimmer
  • Melinda Czink, Hungarian tennis player
  • Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, Australian athlete
  • Melinda Geiger, Romanian handballer
  • Melinda Hale, American handball player
  • Mélinda Hennaoui, Algerian volleyball player
  • Melinda Henshaw, New Zealand yachtswoman
  • Melinda Jacques, French handball player
  • Melinda Kunhegyi, Canadian figure skater
  • Melinda McLeod, Australian BMX cyclist
  • Melinda Padovano, American wrestler
  • Melinda Pastrovics, Hungarian handballer
  • Melinda Patyi, Hungarian canoeist
  • Melinda Sun, Australian badminton player
  • Melinda Szikora, Hungarian handballer
  • Melinda Szik, Hungarian weightlifter
  • Melinda Szvorda, Hungarian footballer
  • Melinda Vernon, Australian triathlete
  • Melinda Vincze, Hungarian handballer
  • Melinda Wang, Taiwanese figure skater
  • Melinda Young, Australia basketball

Writers

  • Melinda Camber Porter, British author, poet and painter
  • Melinda Gebbie, American comic author and artist
  • Melinda Hammond, British romance novelist
  • Melinda Haynes, American novelist
  • Melinda Hsu Taylor, American TV writer and producer
  • Malinda Lo, American author
  • Melinda Lopez, American playwright
  • Melinda Metz, American children's author
  • Melinda Nadj Abonji, Hungarian writer and performance artist
  • Melinda Rankin (1811–1888), American missionary, teacher, and writer
  • Melinda Smith, Australian poet
  • Melinda M. Snodgrass, American science fiction writer
  • Melinda Tankard Reist, Australian writer and social campaigner
  • Melinda Wagner, American composer and Pulitzer Prize winner

Other

  • Melinda Loveless tortured and burned Shanda Sharer to death with the help of other teenage girls

In popular culture

In film and television

In music

In literature

In agriculture

  • Melinda (consortium) is a consortium producing apples in Trentino.

In geography

References

  1. ^ Behind the Name: Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Melinda
  2. ^ The Best Baby Name Book in the Whole Wide World (1984) by Bruce Lansky
  3. ^ Popular Baby Names, Social Security Administration

See also

  • All pages with titles beginning with Melinda
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