Malta Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAL-tah //ˈmɑːltə//
Origin: Latin; Maltese
Meaning: Latin: 'of Malta'; Maltese: 'a place'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Malta has its roots in the Latin word "Melita," which is derived from the Phoenician word "Malat," meaning "refuge" or "honey." The island of Malta, located in the central Mediterranean, was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who referred to it as Melita. This name was later adopted into various languages, including Italian and English, as Malta.
The island's strategic location made it a significant refuge for sailors and traders throughout history, contributing to the name's enduring association with safety and sanctuary. Historically, Malta has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with notable milestones including its colonization by the Phoenicians around the 8th century BCE.
The island later became part of the Roman Empire, where it was mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, specifically in the account of Saint Paul's shipwreck around 60 CE. This biblical connection has lent the name Malta a sense of historical and religious significance, particularly within Christian traditions.
The Knights of St. John established a significant presence on the island in the 16th century, further embedding Malta in European history and culture.
Culturally, the name Malta evokes images of resilience and hospitality, reflecting the island's long history as a crossroads of various civilizations, including the Arabs, Normans, and the British. The name has also been associated with the Maltese Cross, a symbol of the Knights of St.
John, which represents bravery and protection. While diminutive forms of the name are not commonly noted, the name Malta itself carries a weight of historical and cultural resonance that underscores its significance as both a geographical and personal identifier.
Fictional characters named Malta
The following list of fictional characters named Malta 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.
Malta Vestrit is a fictional character from the book series The Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb. She is a young noblewoman who struggles with her identity and the expectations placed upon her in a world of magic and sea trade.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Malta, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Malta. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Malta was first seen in the United States in 1910.
Malta has ranked as high as #824 nationally, which occurred in 1915, and has been most popular in Kentucky.
In the past 5 years the name Malta has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Malta 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 Malta was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Malta (1937)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| KY | 5 |
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 Malta.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 6 |
| 1967 | 5 |
| 1937 | 5 |
| 1932 | 5 |
| 1928 | 5 |
| 1920 | 6 |
| 1916 | 7 |
| 1915 | 10 |
| 1910 | 6 |