The Maia who married Thingol and ruled Doriath with him (S/55-6), her name was translated “Dear Gift”, a combination of mell “dear” and ann “gift”, or more accurately derived from the ancient form ✶Melyanna (SA/anna, mel).
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, her name was given as G. Gwedheling along with numerous variations (LT2/50), but in later revisions was changed to G. Melian (LT2/51), the form of her name in the Lays of Beleriand from the 1920s (LB/12). Her name remained Melian in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/13, LR/220), though at this stage her name was likely Ilkorin like that of her husband, Ilk. Thingol.
The Quenya name of Melian (NM/21).