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Melrose
Pronounced MEL-rohz /ˈmɛl.roʊz/High
Meaning: From the Scottish town of Melrose, from Brythonic words usually read as 'bare moor' or 'bare promontory'Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Melrose began as a place name in the Scottish Borders, usually traced to Brythonic mailo-ros, 'bare promontory' or 'bare moor' — nothing to do with roses, despite appearances. The Cistercian Melrose Abbey, founded in 1136, made the town famous, and the name traveled as a surname and then to streets and suburbs across the English-speaking world.
For American ears the name carries the gloss of Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles and the 1990s drama Melrose Place, and the embedded word 'rose' gives it accidental floral charm. As a girl's given name it is a rare twenty-first-century adoption, kin to other chic place names like Aspen and Brooklyn.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- ★Melrose Bickerstaff (1983-)American fashion model and contestant on America's Next Top Model
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Melrose mean?
Melrose comes from the Scottish town of Melrose, from Brythonic words usually read as 'bare moor' or 'bare promontory'; the rose connection is a happy accident of spelling.
How do you pronounce Melrose?
It's said MEL-rohz /ˈmɛl.roʊz/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Melrose a boy or girl name?
Melrose is used today mainly as a girl's name, helped by the 'rose' in its second syllable.
How popular is Melrose?
Melrose is a rare name in the U.S., a fashionable recent arrival among place names for girls.