Total births
3,086
Boys' name · since 1974
Malek
3,086 babies named Malek in U.S. Social Security records since 1974, with the highest year being 2023. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1428
- among boys today
- 3,086
- born since 1974
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Malek is the #1428 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,086 recorded since 1974.
Social Security Administration records show Malek recorded 3,086 times among boys since 1974, holding rank #1428 nationally today, ahead of 90% of boys, 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 1974 to 2025.
- #1428 among boys today
- 3,086 born since 1974
- 2010s peak decade
- 90% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Malek is currently the #1428 boys' name in America, more common than 90% of boys - 3,086 born since 1974, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1428
- among boys today
- 3,086
- born since 1974
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 90%
- more common than other boys
Malek vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1428
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 90% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Malek was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
151 babies were named Malek in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Malek compares
3,086 Top 16% higher than 84% 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
Malek's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Malek | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,086 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 151 | 23 | 22,252 |
Malek's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Malek splits its recorded history at 2001: 77% of all births land in the more recent half, 23% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1974 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2023 peak of 151 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Malek at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2023
Current rank
#1,428
Active since
1974
Malek popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1974–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 151
- Annual births at peak, across 52 years of records
Malek popularity over time - girls
6 total births recorded since 2011 (Malek as girls' name)
Malek by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Malek's strongest decade.
924 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Malek births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 31
1970s
31 births
- 1980s 85
1980s
85 births
- 1990s
1990s
505 births
- 2000s
2000s
780 births
- 2010s
2010s
924 births
- 2020s
2020s
761 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 924 births (30% of all-time use).
How Malek 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 Malek's total volume
Malek vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Malek by state
Where Malek concentrates geographically, total births since 1974
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 384 | 12.4% |
| #2 | New York | | 264 | 8.6% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 221 | 7.2% |
| #4 | Texas | | 193 | 6.3% |
| #5 | Florida | | 171 | 5.5% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 110 | 3.6% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 86 | 2.8% |
| #8 | New Jersey | | 80 | 2.6% |
California share of Malek's total US births 12.4%
Even split
384 of 3,086 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Malek appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Malek? ▼
Malek has been given to 3,086 babies in the U.S. since 1974, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1428 as of the latest data. 151 babies were born in 2023, its single highest year.
When was Malek most popular? ▼
Malek was most popular in the 2010s decade with 924 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Malek most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Malek are California (384 births), New York (264 births), Michigan (221 births).
How long has the name Malek been used? ▼
Malek has been recorded in Social Security data since 1974, spanning 52 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Malek? ▼
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 Malek's data
- Malek's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (924 total births) through the 2020s (761) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Maleks (384 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 Malek
Nearby Names Like Malek
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Malek
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 Malek side by side: Malek vs Malcolm Malek vs Malachi Malek vs Malik
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Malek
Canyon #1427
3,827 births · Peak 2021
Jacari #1429
2,833 births · Peak 2022
Milton #1426
117,936 births · Peak 1920
Javion #1430
6,889 births · Peak 2008
Alder #1425
1,363 births · Peak 2025
Aksel #1431
2,561 births · Peak 2018
Cam #1424
2,794 births · Peak 2025
Monte #1432
23,160 births · Peak 1956
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, 1974–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Malek: #1428 Boys' Name - 3,086 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/malek. 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 Malek 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.