Malika
Girl name · #2702 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Malika? In official American birth records, Malika has been tracked continuously since 1966, giving it 59 years of documented American history.
Malika ranks #2702 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 64 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3092, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,125 girls born in 2025 was named Malika.
Babies named Malika per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 59-year story
Malika first appears in the Social Security records in 1966, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1996, when 183 girls were named Malika — good for #1020 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Malika against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malika in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Malika is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Malika will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Malika is most common
State-level data for Malika 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 Malika
Statistically, parents drawn to Malika tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Radhika, Malaika, Zulema, Mirella, and Maira.
RadhikaMalaikaZulemaMirellaMairaErikaMeccaMika
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malika | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64 | #2691 |
| 2024 | 59 | #2819 |
| 2023 | 88 | #2156 |
| 2022 | 82 | #2277 |
| 2021 | 78 | #2327 |
| 2020 | 88 | #2078 |
| 2019 | 89 | #2109 |
| 2018 | 80 | #2275 |
| 2017 | 84 | #2236 |
| 2016 | 86 | #2221 |
| 2015 | 54 | #3092 |
| 2014 | 80 | #2304 |
| 2013 | 61 | #2804 |
| 2012 | 81 | #2315 |
| 2011 | 62 | #2796 |
| 2010 | 52 | #3159 |
| 2009 | 38 | #4013 |
| 2008 | 58 | #2995 |
| 2007 | 65 | #2787 |
| 2006 | 57 | #2978 |
| 2005 | 59 | #2787 |
| 2004 | 71 | #2396 |
| 2003 | 94 | #1925 |
| 2002 | 84 | #2046 |
| 2001 | 107 | #1686 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Malika?
In official American birth records, the name Malika first appeared in 1966 (over 59 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 59 years.
Is Malika a popular girl name?
Malika ranked #2702 among girls in 2025 with 64 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3092.
When was the name Malika most popular?
Malika peaked in 1996, when 183 American girls received the name (ranked #1020 that year). Since 1996 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Malika?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,125 newborn American girls was named Malika. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.