country in Eastern Europe, named for the river through it, probably from a PIE word meaning "dark, darkish color, soiled, black" (see melano-).

fem. proper name, literally "darkness, blackness," from Latin Melania, from Greek melania "blackness," from melas "black, dark" (see melano-). little used in U.S. before 1940, most popular in 1970s. Melanius was a Roman masc. proper name.