Total births
2,889
Girls' name · since 1880
Mahala
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 2,889 babies named Mahala, peaking in 2006. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5151
- among girls today
- 2,889
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Mahala is the #5151 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 2,889 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Mahala recorded 2,889 times among girls since 1880, holding rank #5151 nationally today, ahead of 71% of girls, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #5151 among girls today
- 2,889 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 71% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Mahala is currently the #5151 girls' name in America, more common than 71% of girls - 2,889 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5151
- among girls today
- 2,889
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other girls
Mahala vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#5151
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 71% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Mahala was born in this single decade.
2006
Single peak year
74 babies were named Mahala in 2006 - its busiest year on record.
How Mahala compares
2,889 Top 18% higher than 82% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Mahala's all-time total is 8x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Mahala | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,889 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 74 | 48 | 19,840 |
Mahala's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Mahala splits its recorded history at 1951: 62% of all births land in the more recent half, 38% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1943 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2006 peak of 74 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Mahala at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2006
Current rank
#5,151
Active since
1880
Mahala popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2006)
- 74
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Mahala by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Mahala's strongest decade.
627 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Mahala births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 163
1880s
163 births
- 1890s 178
1890s
178 births
- 1900s 145
1900s
145 births
- 1910s 184
1910s
184 births
- 1920s 201
1920s
201 births
- 1930s 93
1930s
93 births
- 1940s 123
1940s
123 births
- 1950s 126
1950s
126 births
- 1960s 51
1960s
51 births
- 1970s 92
1970s
92 births
- 1980s 120
1980s
120 births
- 1990s
1990s
337 births
- 2000s
2000s
627 births
- 2010s
2010s
305 births
- 2020s 144
2020s
144 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 627 births (22% of all-time use).
How Mahala compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Mahala's total volume
Mahala vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Mahala by state
Where Mahala concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio | | 94 | 3.3% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 84 | 2.9% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 24 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 13 | 0.4% |
| #5 | Tennessee | | 12 | 0.4% |
| #6 | California | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Missouri | | 11 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Florida | | 10 | 0.3% |
Ohio share of Mahala's total US births 3.3%
Even split
94 of 2,889 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 12 reporting states.
Mahala appears in 12 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Mahala? ▼
2,889 babies have been named Mahala since 1880. It currently ranks #5151 among girls. The peak year was 2006 with 74 births.
When was Mahala most popular? ▼
Mahala was most popular in the 2000s decade with 627 total births. The single peak year was 2006.
Where is Mahala most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Mahala are Ohio (94 births), Kentucky (84 births), North Carolina (24 births).
How long has the name Mahala been used? ▼
Records for Mahala go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Mahala? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mahogany, Mahalia, Maha, Mahi, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Mahala's data
- Mahala's decade-level peak was the 2000s (627 total births); usage has since declined to 144 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Ohio records the most Mahalas (94 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Ohio names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Mahala
Nearby Names Like Mahala
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Mahala
Mahogany Girl
#2353 4,134 births
Mahalia Girl
#3123 2,370 births
Maha Girl
#3191 2,019 births
Mahi Girl
#4098 1,236 births
Mahnoor Girl
#3558 1,006 births
Compare Mahala side by side: Mahala vs Mahogany Mahala vs Mahalia Mahala vs Maha
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Mahala
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Mahala: #5151 Girls' Name - 2,889 Births, Peak 2006." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/mahala. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Mahala draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.