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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Malia — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Mali|Maliah
EnglishGirl↓ Declining

Malia

MAH-lee-uh · 3 syllables

Share Malia:
Compare with another name
Girl
#326
↓ Declining
#326
in the US · 2024
Popularity score: 42
Peak rank
#256 in 2021
5yr change
-53 ranks
Birth frequency
2.6 per 10,000 births
Sex split
3% boy · 97% girl

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #326 · Falling since 2020

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
English girl names
Malia

Popularity score: 42  ·  SSA Rank: #326

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
59
Higher than 59% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
↓ Declining
-53 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Unknown
— · — · —
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
85
1 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Malia scores well on meaning depth but there are tradeoffs — the popularity trend is fading.

Meaning Depth37% of score
87
Name Trend28% of score
10
Uniqueness20% of score
85
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
HawaiianPolynesianNatureSoftModern3-syllableContemporaryRisingGlobal
Character
peaceful dispositioncultural connection
STRONG
High confidence

Malia is an English girl name with cooling SSA momentum. It ranked #326 in the US in 2024.

Trend:↓ Declining · -53 ranks
Feasibility:— · — · —
Popularity:#326 · niche
Malia at a Glance
Meaning:Calm, peaceful, or gentle. A Hawaiian name with Polynesian roots, sometimes used as a variant of Molly or Maria in English-speaking contexts.
Language root:Hawaiian
Peak rank:#256 in 2021
5yr change:-53 ranks
Sex usage:3% boy · 97% girl
Notable bearers
Malia Obama
Daughter of former US President Barack Obama
Similar Sound
MilaMaliaMaraMayaMariahLeila
Similar Style
LeiaKiraZaraKaylaNoraAaliyah
Works well with
LeiaZaraKai◈NoahEthanJasper◈EllaLucas
You Might Also Like
Leia
Hebrew · #290
↓ Declining
Kira
Sanskrit · #455
→ Stable
Zara
Arabic · #234
→ Stable
Kayla
Irish · #336
→ Stable
Nora
Irish · #22
→ Stable
Aaliyah
Arabic · #93
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Malia illustration
Name Intelligence
Malia · Overview
Summary

Malia is an English girl name with cooling SSA momentum. It ranked #326 in the US in 2024.

Search interest: 3/100 → Stable

Strengths
Nature · Modern character
Malia carries a soft, warm, gentle quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Popularity declining
Rank has dropped 53 positions in the last year. Consider whether this trajectory matters for your decision.
Explore

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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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