Total births
690
Boys' name · since 1897
Malachy
690 babies named Malachy in U.S. Social Security records since 1897, with the highest year being 2002. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #5918
- among boys today
- 690
- born since 1897
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Malachy is the #5918 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 690 recorded since 1897.
Social Security Administration records show Malachy recorded 690 times among boys since 1897, holding rank #5918 nationally today, ahead of 59% of boys, 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 1897 to 2025.
- #5918 among boys today
- 690 born since 1897
- 2000s peak decade
- 59% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Malachy is currently the #5918 boys' name in America, more common than 59% of boys - 690 born since 1897, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5918
- among boys today
- 690
- born since 1897
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other boys
Malachy vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5918
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 59% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Malachy was born in this single decade.
2002
Single peak year
35 babies were named Malachy in 2002 - its busiest year on record.
How Malachy compares
690 Top 37% higher than 63% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Malachy's all-time total is 88% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Malachy | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 690 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 35 | 23 | 22,252 |
Malachy's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Malachy's SSA record in two at 1999 and the more recent half accounts for 76% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 24%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1897, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2002 peak of 35, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Malachy at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2002
Current rank
#5,918
Active since
1897
Malachy popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1897–2025
- Peak year (2002)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 129 years of records
Malachy by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Malachy's strongest decade.
241 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Malachy births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1910s 10
1910s
10 births
- 1920s 20
1920s
20 births
- 1930s 16
1930s
16 births
- 1940s 8
1940s
8 births
- 1950s 13
1950s
13 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s 17
1970s
17 births
- 1980s 21
1980s
21 births
- 1990s 58
1990s
58 births
- 2000s
2000s
241 births
- 2010s
2010s
174 births
- 2020s 96
2020s
96 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 241 births (35% of all-time use).
How Malachy compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Malachy's total volume
Malachy vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Malachy by state
Where Malachy concentrates geographically, total births since 1897
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 43 | 6.2% |
| #2 | California | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.7% |
New York share of Malachy's total US births 6.2%
Even split
43 of 690 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Malachy? ▼
Since 1897, Social Security records show 690 babies named Malachy. Today it holds rank #5918 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2002, with 35 births.
When was Malachy most popular? ▼
Malachy was most popular in the 2000s decade with 241 total births. The single peak year was 2002.
Where is Malachy most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Malachy are New York (43 births), California (5 births), Illinois (5 births).
How long has the name Malachy been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Malachy since 1897 -- 129 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Malachy? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Malcolm, Malachi, Malik, Malakai, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Malachy's data
- Malachy's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (241 total births) through the 2020s (96) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Malachys (43 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York 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 Malachy
Nearby Names Like Malachy
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Malachy
Malcolm Boy
#314 70,209 births
Malachi Boy
#149 65,758 births
Malik Boy
#428 49,607 births
Malakai Boy
#232 17,830 births
Malcom Boy
#1737 5,864 births
Compare Malachy side by side: Malachy vs Malcolm Malachy vs Malachi Malachy vs Malik
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Malachy
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, 1897–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Malachy: #5918 Boys' Name - 690 Births, Peak 2002." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/malachy. 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 Malachy 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.