Malinda
Girl name · #2859 in 2025 · Uniqueness 73/100
In 2025, 59 baby girls were named Malinda, placing it at #2859 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2318, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,508 girls born in 2025 was named Malinda.
The 145-year story
Malinda first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 35 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1969, when 460 girls were named Malinda — good for #447 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Malinda per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Malinda against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malinda in class?
Malinda scores 73 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Malinda will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Malinda is most common
Geography matters for names, and Malinda is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Malindas were PA (18), WI (7), OH (6), MO (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 Malinda
Statistically, parents drawn to Malinda tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Melinda, Yolanda, Belinda, Lucinda, and Melisa.
MelindaYolandaBelindaLucindaMelisaBrendaCorinnaSuzanna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malinda | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | #2859 |
| 2024 | 58 | #2857 |
| 2023 | 76 | #2379 |
| 2022 | 67 | #2604 |
| 2021 | 48 | #3297 |
| 2020 | 60 | #2748 |
| 2019 | 62 | #2729 |
| 2018 | 71 | #2478 |
| 2017 | 64 | #2689 |
| 2016 | 67 | #2617 |
| 2015 | 80 | #2318 |
| 2014 | 84 | #2236 |
| 2013 | 75 | #2408 |
| 2012 | 59 | #2901 |
| 2011 | 55 | #3051 |
| 2010 | 70 | #2589 |
| 2009 | 97 | #2090 |
| 2008 | 83 | #2334 |
| 2007 | 83 | #2311 |
| 2006 | 97 | #2031 |
| 2005 | 80 | #2254 |
| 2004 | 90 | #2030 |
| 2003 | 89 | #2019 |
| 2002 | 108 | #1695 |
| 2001 | 108 | #1671 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Malinda a popular girl name?
Malinda ranked #2859 among girls in 2025 with 59 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2318.
When was the name Malinda most popular?
Malinda peaked in 1969, when 460 American girls received the name (ranked #447 that year). Since 1969 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Malinda?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,508 newborn American girls was named Malinda. It scores 73/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "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.