Total births
8,467
Girls' name · since 1977
Malaya
Since 1977, U.S. Social Security records show 8,467 babies named Malaya, peaking in 2014. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #814
- among girls today
- 8,467
- born since 1977
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other girls
8,467 babies have been named Malaya since 1977, making it today's #814 girls' name.
Social Security Administration records show Malaya recorded 8,467 times among girls since 1977, holding rank #814 nationally today, ahead of 95% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1977 to 2025.
- #814 among girls today
- 8,467 born since 1977
- 2010s peak decade
- 95% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Malaya is currently the #814 girls' name in America, more common than 95% of girls - 8,467 born since 1977, peaking in the 2010s.
- #814
- among girls today
- 8,467
- born since 1977
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other girls
Malaya vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#814
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 95% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
46% of everyone ever named Malaya was born in this single decade.
2014
Single peak year
449 babies were named Malaya in 2014 - its busiest year on record.
How Malaya compares
8,467 Top 10% higher than 90% 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
Malaya's all-time total is 22x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Malaya | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 8,467 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 449 | 48 | 19,840 |
Malaya's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Malaya's full recorded timeline at 2003, 93% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 7% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1978, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2014 peak of 449 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Malaya at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
2014
Current rank
#814
Active since
1977
Malaya popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1977–2025
- Peak year (2014)
- 449
- Annual births at peak, across 49 years of records
Malaya by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Malaya's strongest decade.
3,907 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Malaya births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 23
1970s
23 births
- 1980s 33
1980s
33 births
- 1990s 225
1990s
225 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,980 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,907 births
- 2020s
2020s
2,299 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 3,907 births (46% of all-time use).
How Malaya 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 Malaya's total volume
Malaya vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Malaya by state
Where Malaya concentrates geographically, total births since 1977
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 963 | 11.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 562 | 6.6% |
| #3 | Florida | | 499 | 5.9% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 420 | 5.0% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 375 | 4.4% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 366 | 4.3% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 348 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 331 | 3.9% |
California share of Malaya's total US births 11.4%
Even split
963 of 8,467 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 37 reporting states.
Malaya appears in 37 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Malaya? ▼
8,467 babies have been named Malaya since 1977. It currently ranks #814 among girls. The peak year was 2014 with 449 births.
When was Malaya most popular? ▼
Malaya was most popular in the 2010s decade with 3,907 total births. The single peak year was 2014.
Where is Malaya most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Malaya are California (963 births), Texas (562 births), Florida (499 births).
How long has the name Malaya been used? ▼
Records for Malaya go back to 1977, giving 49 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Malaya? ▼
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 Malaya's data
- Malaya's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (3,907 total births) through the 2020s (2,299) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Malayas (963 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Malaya
Nearby Names Like Malaya
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Malaya
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 Malaya side by side: Malaya vs Mallory Malaya vs Malia Malaya vs Malinda
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Malaya
Tallulah #813
4,102 births · Peak 2023
Meilani #815
3,971 births · Peak 2025
Alianna #812
5,538 births · Peak 2024
Nyomi #816
4,254 births · Peak 2023
Theodora #811
12,654 births · Peak 2022
Analia #817
7,568 births · Peak 2009
Braelynn #810
9,829 births · Peak 2016
Xyla #818
2,346 births · Peak 2025
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, 1977–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Malaya: #814 Girls' Name - 8,467 Births, Peak 2014." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/malaya. 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 Malaya 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.