Meaning: Its source is Aemilius, a Latin name meaning "Eager."

Nickname For: Permelia

Popularity: The name Melia ranked 3621st in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: Aemilius, a Roman family name, is also interpreted as ''laborious'' or ''rival.''

This name was used among ancient Christians in the Latinate feminine form Aemilia (the modern Italian form of the name). In time, it was altered to Emilia, then Emily.

This continuum of names developed side-by-side with Amelia, which is derived from the Ancient Germanic Amalia, meaning ''work.'' The origins of Amelia and Emily are often confounded, though their similar spellings are coincidental.