Malia
Girl name · #350 in 2025 · Uniqueness 60/100
Malia is currently the #350 girl name in the United States — 872 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #315, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,064 girls born in 2025 was named Malia.
The 106-year story
Malia first appears in the Social Security records in 1919, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2009, when 1,700 girls were named Malia — good for #192 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 Malia per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Malia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malia in class?
Malia scores 60 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 Malia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Malia is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Malias were CA (126), TX (66), FL (61), GA (33), PA (33). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Malia
Statistically, parents drawn to Malia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Talia, Analia, Alia, Emelia, and Natalia.
TaliaAnaliaAliaEmeliaNataliaMaiaAmaliaAlivia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 872 | #349 |
| 2024 | 948 | #328 |
| 2023 | 1,146 | #273 |
| 2022 | 1,191 | #265 |
| 2021 | 1,204 | #256 |
| 2020 | 1,172 | #259 |
| 2019 | 1,264 | #262 |
| 2018 | 1,280 | #255 |
| 2017 | 1,429 | #215 |
| 2016 | 1,237 | #258 |
| 2015 | 1,031 | #315 |
| 2014 | 955 | #348 |
| 2013 | 959 | #336 |
| 2012 | 899 | #353 |
| 2011 | 1,011 | #313 |
| 2010 | 1,075 | #301 |
| 2009 | 1,700 | #192 |
| 2008 | 968 | #343 |
| 2007 | 817 | #399 |
| 2006 | 784 | #406 |
| 2005 | 741 | #418 |
| 2004 | 681 | #449 |
| 2003 | 706 | #425 |
| 2002 | 682 | #428 |
| 2001 | 585 | #476 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Malia a popular girl name?
Malia ranked #350 among girls in 2025 with 872 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #315.
When was the name Malia most popular?
Malia peaked in 2009, when 1,700 American girls received the name (ranked #192 that year). Since 2009 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Malia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,064 newborn American girls was named Malia. It scores 60/100 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.