Total births
2,540
Girls' name · since 1954
Malea
Malea has 2,540 recorded births since 1954 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2009 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4224
- among girls today
- 2,540
- born since 1954
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 76%
- more common than other girls
2,540 babies have been named Malea since 1954, making it today's #4224 girls' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Malea has been recorded 2,540 times among girls since 1954, currently ranked #4224 nationally and more common than 76% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1954 to 2025.
- #4224 among girls today
- 2,540 born since 1954
- 2000s peak decade
- 76% more common than other girls
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Malea is currently the #4224 girls' name in America, more common than 76% of girls - 2,540 born since 1954, peaking in the 2000s.
- #4224
- among girls today
- 2,540
- born since 1954
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 76%
- more common than other girls
Malea vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#4224
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 76% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Malea was born in this single decade.
2009
Single peak year
100 babies were named Malea in 2009 - its busiest year on record.
How Malea compares
2,540 Top 19% higher than 81% 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
Malea's all-time total is 7x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Malea | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,540 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 100 | 48 | 19,840 |
Malea's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Malea's SSA record in two at 1990 and the more recent half accounts for 80% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 20%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1954, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2009 peak of 100, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Malea at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2009
Current rank
#4,224
Active since
1954
Malea popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1954–2025
- Peak year (2009)
- 100
- Annual births at peak, across 72 years of records
Malea by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Malea's strongest decade.
831 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Malea births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 81
1950s
81 births
- 1960s 101
1960s
101 births
- 1970s 135
1970s
135 births
- 1980s 192
1980s
192 births
- 1990s
1990s
368 births
- 2000s
2000s
831 births
- 2010s
2010s
609 births
- 2020s 223
2020s
223 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 831 births (33% of all-time use).
How Malea 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 Malea's total volume
Malea vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Malea by state
Where Malea concentrates geographically, total births since 1954
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 201 | 7.9% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 64 | 2.5% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 26 | 1.0% |
| #4 | Texas | | 26 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 21 | 0.8% |
| #6 | Washington | | 20 | 0.8% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 18 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Florida | | 15 | 0.6% |
California share of Malea's total US births 7.9%
Even split
201 of 2,540 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 16 reporting states.
Malea appears in 16 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Malea? ▼
Malea has been given to 2,540 babies in the U.S. since 1954, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #4224 as of the latest data. 100 babies were born in 2009, its single highest year.
When was Malea most popular? ▼
Malea was most popular in the 2000s decade with 831 total births. The single peak year was 2009.
Where is Malea most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Malea are California (201 births), Ohio (64 births), Pennsylvania (26 births).
How long has the name Malea been used? ▼
Malea has been recorded in Social Security data since 1954, spanning 72 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Malea? ▼
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 Malea's data
- Malea's decade-level peak was the 2000s (831 total births); usage has since declined to 223 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Maleas (201 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 Malea
Nearby Names Like Malea
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Malea
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 Malea side by side: Malea vs Mallory Malea vs Malia Malea vs Malinda
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Malea
Jamia #4223
4,498 births · Peak 2003
Coralynn #4225
856 births · Peak 2016
Viktoria #4222
2,659 births · Peak 2015
Lyndie #4226
793 births · Peak 2024
Brianne #4221
20,473 births · Peak 1979
Kaycie #4227
2,462 births · Peak 2000
Tommi #4220
1,815 births · Peak 1976
Keysha #4228
1,976 births · Peak 1976
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1954–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Malea: #4224 Girls' Name - 2,540 Births, Peak 2009." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/malea. 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 Malea 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 July 2026.