Total births
95
Girls' name · since 2013
Malala
Since 2013, U.S. Social Security records show 95 babies named Malala, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #16910
- among girls today
- 95
- born since 2013
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 5%
- more common than other girls
Malala currently ranks #16910 among girls' names in America, with 95 babies recorded since 2013.
Malala has 95 recorded births among girls since 2013, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #16910 as of the latest data, more common than 5% of girls, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 2013 to 2024.
- #16910 among girls today
- 95 born since 2013
- 2010s peak decade
- 5% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Malala is currently the #16910 girls' name in America, more common than 5% of girls - 95 born since 2013, peaking in the 2010s.
- #16910
- among girls today
- 95
- born since 2013
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 5%
- more common than other girls
Malala vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#16910
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 5% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
76% of everyone ever named Malala was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
13 babies were named Malala in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Malala compares
95 24th percentile among 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
Malala's all-time total is 75% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Malala | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 95 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 13 | 48 | 19,840 |
Malala's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Malala's SSA record in two at 2018 and the more recent half accounts for 49% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 51%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 2024, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2018 peak of 13, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Malala at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#16,910
Active since
2013
Malala popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 2013–2024
- Peak year (2018)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 12 years of records
Malala by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Malala's strongest decade.
72 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 76% of all-time use.
Malala births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 2010s
2010s
72 births
- 2020s 23
2020s
23 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 72 births (76% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Malala? ▼
Since 2013, Social Security records show 95 babies named Malala. Today it holds rank #16910 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2018, with 13 births.
When was Malala most popular? ▼
Malala was most popular in the 2010s decade with 72 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
How long has the name Malala been used? ▼
Records for Malala go back to 2013, giving 12 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Malala? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mallory, Malia, Malinda, Maliyah, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Malala's data
- Malala's decade-level peak was the 2010s (72 total births); usage has since declined to 23 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Malala
Nearby Names Like Malala
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Malala
Mallory Girl
#412 59,044 births
Malia Girl
#328 31,606 births
Malinda Girl
#2857 21,464 births
Maliyah Girl
#589 15,359 births
Malaysia Girl
#855 11,031 births
Compare Malala side by side: Malala vs Mallory Malala vs Malia Malala vs Malinda
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Malala
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, 2013–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Malala: #16910 Girls' Name - 95 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/malala. 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 Malala 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.