Melina is usually explained from the Greek meli, "honey", though it also serves as an elaboration of names like Melanie and Melissa. The actress and politician Melina Mercouri made it a well-known Greek name in the 1960s, and it is popular in Latin America as well. In the United States Melina was number 543 in 2000, peaked at 456 in 2009 and ranks 660 in 2025.