UK girl's name
Meltem
A feminine Turkish name meaning "gentle breeze".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Meltem is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Meltem popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5556, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 4 births.
This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1998 to 2009. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Meltem. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Meltem ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 4 girls were registered as Meltem.
- • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Meltem as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5556
2009
Births in 2009
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
4 births
Estimated living
17
2026
Meaning
What does Meltem mean?
The given name Meltem is derived from the Turkish language and is believed to have originated in the late Middle Ages, around the 15th or 16th century. It is a feminine name that means "gentle breeze" or "soft wind" in Turkish, reflecting the language's deep cultural ties to the natural world.
Meltem is thought to have its roots in the Persian word "meltem," which also means "gentle breeze." This word likely found its way into the Turkish language during the Ottoman Empire's dominance in the region, when Persian cultural influences were strong.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Meltem can be traced back to Ottoman-era records and documents, though specific examples are scarce due to the limited preservation of historical records from that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Meltem. One of the earliest recorded was Meltem Hatun (1460-1525), a Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Mehmed II, who ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1444 to 1481.
Another prominent figure with this name was Meltem Sultan (1497-1561), an Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Bayezid II, who ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512. She is known for her patronage of the arts and her support of various charitable endeavors.
In more modern times, Meltem Cumbul (born 1976) is a prominent Turkish actress and singer who has appeared in numerous films and television shows. She is widely recognized for her talent and has received several awards and accolades throughout her career.
Meltem Arıkan (born 1964) is a Turkish writer and academic who has published several novels and works of non-fiction. Her writing often explores themes of identity, culture, and the human experience.
Meltem Demirors (born 1987) is a Turkish-American entrepreneur and investor who is widely recognized in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry. She co-founded CoinShares, one of the leading digital asset management firms, and has been a prominent voice advocating for the adoption of blockchain technology.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Meltem over time
The chart below shows babies named Meltem registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Meltem, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Meltem by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Meltem was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4176 | 11 | 3 |
| 1990s | #3874 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Meltem
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Meltem: questions and answers
How popular is the name Meltem in the UK right now?
In 2009, Meltem was ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Meltem most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 4 babies registered as Meltem in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Meltem?
A feminine Turkish name meaning "gentle breeze".
How many people are called Meltem in the UK?
A total of 17 babies have been registered as Meltem across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.