Girls' name · since 1886
Malena
Since 1886, U.S. Social Security records show 4,058 babies named Malena, peaking in 2004. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,955 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- #2,257 of 17,297
- 2025 SSA year
- 4,058
- born since 1886
- 2000s
- peak decade
Malena currently ranks #2257 among girls' names in America, with 4,058 babies recorded since 1886.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Malena has been recorded 4,058 times among girls since 1886, currently ranked #2257 nationally and more common than 87% 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 1886 to 2025.
- #2,955 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- #2,257 of 17,297 2025 SSA year
- 4,058 born since 1886
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Malena ranks #2,955 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #2,257 of 17,297 among girls' names in 2025. 4,058 born since 1886, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2,955 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- #2,257 of 17,297
- 2025 SSA year
- 4,058
- born since 1886
- 2000s
- peak decade
Malena's 4,058 recorded births place it above 95.91% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
25 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Malena compares
4,058 Top 15% higher than 85% of 17,297 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
Malena's all-time total is 11x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Malena | Median girls name (Kyann) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,058 | 376 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 146 | 21 | 19,840 |
Malena's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Malena's SSA record in two at 1988 and the more recent half accounts for 78% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 22%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1936, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2004 peak of 146, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Malena popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2025
- Peak year (2004)
- 146
- Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
Malena by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (1,234 births, 30% of the file).
2000s was Malena's strongest decade.
1,234 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Malena births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 6
1880s
6 births
- 1920s 6
1920s
6 births
- 1930s 11
1930s
11 births
- 1950s 45
1950s
45 births
- 1960s 111
1960s
111 births
- 1970s 462
1970s
462 births
- 1980s 288
1980s
288 births
- 1990s 483
1990s
483 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,234 births
- 2010s
2010s
976 births
- 2020s 436
2020s
436 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,234 births (30% of all-time use).
How Malena 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 Malena's total volume
Malena by state
Where Malena concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 561 | 13.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 180 | 4.4% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 159 | 3.9% |
| #4 | Florida | | 152 | 3.7% |
| #5 | New York | | 140 | 3.4% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 88 | 2.2% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 60 | 1.5% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 45 | 1.1% |
561 of 4,058 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 25 reporting states.
Malena appears in 25 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Malena's data
- Malena's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (1,234 total births) through the 2020s (436) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Malenas (561 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Malena
Nearby Names Like Malena
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Malena
Compare Malena side by side: Malena vs Mallory Malena vs Malia Malena vs Malinda
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Malena
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Malena: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2004)
Similar record span (~139 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1886–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Malena 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 August 2026.