Honey or dark; also a diminutive of various names.
Mella is a multi-faceted name with several possible roots. In Latin, it is derived from 'mel', meaning honey, while in Germanic traditions, it often serves as a short form of names like Melanie (meaning dark) or Carmella. It is also associated with Saint Mella of Doon, an 8th-century Irish saint.
Less common today
Mella isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #8,970 in 2020.
US births per 5-year period, 1990βpresent (SSA data).
8th-century Irish saint and abbess
Contemporary visual artist