Malia Girl

Popularity: #327 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: mah-LEE-ah /məˈliːə/

Origin: Hawaiian; Hebrew

Meaning: Hawaiian: calm; Hebrew: queen

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Malia has its roots in the Hawaiian language, where it is derived from the word "malia," meaning "calm" or "peaceful." This name is often considered a variant of the name Maria, which has a rich etymological history tracing back to Hebrew. The Hebrew name Miriam, which is believed to mean "sea of bitterness" or "wished-for child," evolved into Greek as Maria, and subsequently into Latin as Maria, before making its way into various languages, including English.

The transition from Maria to Malia reflects a cultural adaptation, particularly within Hawaiian culture, where names often carry significant meanings related to nature and tranquility. Historically, the name Malia has been associated with various cultural and religious figures, particularly in the context of Christianity, where Maria is a prominent name due to its association with the Virgin Mary.

The Virgin Mary is a central figure in Christian theology, revered for her role as the mother of Jesus Christ. This association has contributed to the name's enduring significance across different cultures and languages.

The name Maria appears in many historical texts, including the Latin Vulgate Bible, which was completed in the late 4th century, and has been a popular name among saints and monarchs throughout history. Culturally, Malia embodies qualities of serenity and peace, reflecting the natural beauty and calmness often associated with the Hawaiian islands.

The name has been embraced not only for its phonetic appeal but also for its positive connotations. In Hawaiian culture, names are often chosen for their meanings and the values they represent, making Malia a fitting choice for those who wish to convey a sense of tranquility.

The name may also be affectionately shortened to Mali, which retains the essence of its original meaning while providing a more informal variant.

Famous people named Malia

In this section, you will find notable people named Malia. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Malia who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Malia who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Malia Obama is an author and public figure best known for being the daughter of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.

Fictional characters named Malia

The following list of fictional characters named Malia is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Malia Tate is a fictional character from the TV series Teen Wolf. She is a werecoyote who becomes a key member of the pack and plays a significant role in the later seasons.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Malia, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MayaLilaNiaKiraTaliaZara

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Malia. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

AmaliaMayaMalinaMiraMinaAliaNaliaSelah

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Malia was first seen in the United States in 1919.

Malia has ranked as high as #413 nationally, which occurred in 2009, and has been most popular in California, Hawaii, Florida, Texas, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Malia has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Malia is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Malia was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Malia.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 872 872
2024 948 948
2023 1,146 1,146
2022 1,191 1,191
2021 1,204 1,204
2020 1,172 1,172
2019 1,264 1,264
2018 1,280 1,280
2017 1,429 1,429
2016 1,237 1,237
2015 1,031 1,031
2014 955 955
2013 959 959
2012 899 899
2011 1,011 1,011
2010 1,075 1,075
2009 1,700 1,700
2008 968 968
2007 817 817
2006 784 784
2005 741 741
2004 681 681
2003 706 706
2002 682 682
2001 585 585
2000 541 541
1999 423 423
1998 353 353
1997 308 308
1996 269 269
1995 227 227
1994 190 190
1993 178 178
1992 189 189
1991 181 181
1990 159 159
1989 165 165
1988 142 142
1987 136 136
1986 108 108
1985 130 130
1984 146 146
1983 151 151
1982 164 164
1981 151 151
1980 149 149
1979 136 136
1978 142 142
1977 149 149
1976 107 107
1975 94 94
1974 99 99
1973 77 77
1972 91 91
1971 69 69
1970 63 63
1969 64 64
1968 44 44
1967 56 56
1966 41 41
1965 57 57
1964 37 37
1963 43 43
1962 47 47
1961 28 28
1960 32 32
1959 22 22
1958 33 33
1957 59 59
1956 68 68
1955 88 88
1954 48 48
1952 5 5
1946 5 5
1919 5 5

Top States for Malia (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 109
12%
FL 76
8%
TX 64
7%
NY 44
5%
GA 42
5%
OH 34
4%
VA 33
4%
MI 31
3%
PA 30
3%
IL 26
3%
WA 26
3%
NC 25
3%
MN 24
3%
MD 22
2%
TN 20
2%
MO 20
2%
NJ 20
2%
AZ 19
2%
SC 18
2%
HI 17
2%
CO 15
2%
CT 15
2%
WI 15
2%
IN 14
2%
AL 14
2%
LA 13
1%
NV 13
1%
UT 12
1%
MA 12
1%
KS 10
1%
KY 10
1%
AR 10
1%
IA 10
1%
OK 9
1%
MS 9
1%
OR 9
1%
WV 9
1%
ID 7
1%
NM 7
1%
RI 6
1%
SD 5
1%