Melanie is a name which is of Greek origin. It is derived on the word "melania", which means "blackness". The name only became common in English near the 1930s due to popularity of the novel "Gone with the Wind" and its 1939 movie. One of that book's characters was named Melanie Hamilton. The popularity of "Melanie" increased until 1970s, after which it remained constant. The name was the 80th most prevalent name in the United States for 2007.