Malena
Girl name · #2257 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 81 baby girls were named Malena, placing it at #2257 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1984, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,222 girls born in 2025 was named Malena.
The 139-year story
Malena first appears in the Social Security records in 1886, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2004, when 146 girls were named Malena — good for #1423 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 Malena per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Malena against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malena in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Malena is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Malena will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Malena is most common
State-level data for Malena is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Malena
Statistically, parents drawn to Malena tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Makena, Meena, Malina, Raena, and Kalena.
MakenaMeenaMalinaRaenaKalenaAzucenaJohanaSabina
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malena | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 81 | #2256 |
| 2024 | 73 | #2462 |
| 2023 | 70 | #2517 |
| 2022 | 78 | #2364 |
| 2021 | 75 | #2384 |
| 2020 | 59 | #2779 |
| 2019 | 88 | #2128 |
| 2018 | 81 | #2254 |
| 2017 | 89 | #2144 |
| 2016 | 82 | #2308 |
| 2015 | 100 | #1984 |
| 2014 | 110 | #1838 |
| 2013 | 95 | #2032 |
| 2012 | 98 | #1983 |
| 2011 | 115 | #1772 |
| 2010 | 118 | #1751 |
| 2009 | 123 | #1769 |
| 2008 | 122 | #1789 |
| 2007 | 138 | #1613 |
| 2006 | 130 | #1627 |
| 2005 | 117 | #1690 |
| 2004 | 146 | #1423 |
| 2003 | 107 | #1755 |
| 2002 | 139 | #1386 |
| 2001 | 119 | #1560 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Malena a popular girl name?
Malena ranked #2257 among girls in 2025 with 81 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1984.
When was the name Malena most popular?
Malena peaked in 2004, when 146 American girls received the name (ranked #1423 that year). Since 2004 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Malena?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,222 newborn American girls was named Malena. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
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.