Malaika
Girl name · #2339 in 2025 · Uniqueness 63/100
Malaika ranks #2339 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 78 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2773, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 23,077 girls born in 2025 was named Malaika.
The 57-year story
Malaika first appears in the Social Security records in 1968, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2006, when 86 girls were named Malaika — good for #2229 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Malaika per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Malaika against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malaika in class?
Malaika scores 63 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Malaika is most common
Geography matters for names, and Malaika is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Malaikas were MA (9), TX (8), IN (7), FL (5), NY (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Malaika
Statistically, parents drawn to Malaika tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mahika, Veronika, Mika, Malika, and Mihika.
MahikaVeronikaMikaMalikaMihikaMalenaDanikaRadhika
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malaika | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78 | #2326 |
| 2024 | 86 | #2203 |
| 2023 | 72 | #2466 |
| 2022 | 67 | #2604 |
| 2021 | 75 | #2384 |
| 2020 | 62 | #2682 |
| 2019 | 52 | #3085 |
| 2018 | 66 | #2610 |
| 2017 | 69 | #2546 |
| 2016 | 57 | #2934 |
| 2015 | 63 | #2773 |
| 2014 | 58 | #2922 |
| 2013 | 53 | #3076 |
| 2012 | 49 | #3314 |
| 2011 | 62 | #2796 |
| 2010 | 69 | #2614 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2852 |
| 2008 | 51 | #3267 |
| 2007 | 69 | #2647 |
| 2006 | 86 | #2229 |
| 2005 | 74 | #2379 |
| 2004 | 85 | #2117 |
| 2003 | 72 | #2321 |
| 2002 | 66 | #2414 |
| 2001 | 60 | #2540 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Malaika a popular girl name?
Malaika ranked #2339 among girls in 2025 with 78 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2773.
When was the name Malaika most popular?
Malaika peaked in 2006, when 86 American girls received the name (ranked #2229 that year). Since 2006 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Malaika?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 23,077 newborn American girls was named Malaika. It scores 63/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.