Melantha

  • [ mə-LAN-thə ]
  • English (Rare)
Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as MELANIE or MELISSA) with the suffix antha (from Greek ανθος (anthos) "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play 'Marriage a la Mode' (1672).

MELANIE   female   English, German, Dutch
From Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name Melania, derived from Greek μελαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.

The name was common in France during the Middle Ages, and was it introduced from there to England, though it eventually became rare. Interest in it was revived by the character Melanie Wilkes from the novel 'Gone with the Wind' (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939).
MELISSA   female   English, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "bee" in Greek. This was the name of a nymph that cared for young Zeus in Greek mythology. It is also the name of the fairy who helps Rogero escape from the witch Alcina in Ludovico Ariosto's poem 'Orlando Furioso' (1516). As an English given name, Melissa has been used since the 18th century.
FULL FORMS
ENGLISH: Melanie, Melany, Melissa, Mellony, Melyssa
EQUIVALENTS
ANCIENT GREEK: Melissa, Melitta
BOSNIAN: Melisa
CZECH: Melánie
DUTCH: Melanie, Melissa
ENGLISH: Lissa, Malinda, Mel, Melina, Melinda, Missie, Missy
FRENCH: Mélanie, Mélissa
GERMAN: Melanie, Melitta
GREEK MYTHOLOGY: Melaina, Melissa
HAWAIIAN: Melika
HUNGARIAN: Melánia
ITALIAN: Melania
LATE ROMAN: Melania
LATVIAN: Melanija
LITHUANIAN: Melanija
MACEDONIAN: Melanija
POLISH: Melania
SERBIAN: Melanija
SLOVAK: Melánia
SLOVENE: Melanija
SPANISH: Melania, Melisa
TURKISH: Melis, Melisa
DIMINUTIVES AND SHORT FORMS
ENGLISH: Mindy
OTHER FORMS
ANCIENT GREEK: Meliton
ENGLISH: Melina
FRENCH: Melina, Méline
GEORGIAN: Meliton
GREEK MYTHOLOGY: Melia
GREEK: Melina