Total births
1,406
Unisex name · since 1967
Mali
Mali has 1,406 recorded births since 1967 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2008 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3597
- among girls today
- 1,406
- born since 1967
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other girls
1,406 babies have been named Mali since 1967, making it today's #3597 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Mali recorded 1,406 times among girls since 1967, holding rank #3597 nationally today, ahead of 80% 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 1967 to 2025.
- #3597 among girls today
- 1,406 born since 1967
- 2010s peak decade
- 80% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Mali is currently the #3597 unisex name in America, more common than 80% of girls - 1,406 born since 1967, peaking in the 2010s.
- #3597
- among girls today
- 1,406
- born since 1967
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other girls
Mali vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3597
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 80% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Mali was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
65 babies were named Mali in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Mali compares
1,406 Top 27% higher than 73% 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
Mali's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Mali | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,406 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 65 | 48 | 19,840 |
Mali's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Mali splits its recorded history at 2000: 82% of all births land in the more recent half, 18% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1971 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2008 peak of 65 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Mali at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2008
Current rank
#3,597
Active since
1967
Mali popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1967–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 65
- Annual births at peak, across 59 years of records
Mali popularity over time - boys
89 total births recorded since 1976 (Mali as boys' name)
Mali by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Mali's strongest decade.
451 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Mali births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 7
1960s
7 births
- 1970s 32
1970s
32 births
- 1980s 81
1980s
81 births
- 1990s 139
1990s
139 births
- 2000s
2000s
414 births
- 2010s
2010s
451 births
- 2020s
2020s
282 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 451 births (32% of all-time use).
How Mali 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 Mali's total volume
Mali vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Mali by state
Where Mali concentrates geographically, total births since 1967
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 87 | 6.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 65 | 4.6% |
| #3 | Texas | | 43 | 3.1% |
| #4 | Florida | | 12 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Missouri | | 11 | 0.8% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 10 | 0.7% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Maryland | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Mali's total US births 6.2%
Even split
87 of 1,406 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Mali appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Mali? ▼
Mali has been given to 1,406 babies in the U.S. since 1967, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #3597 as of the latest data. 65 babies were born in 2008, its single highest year.
When was Mali most popular? ▼
Mali was most popular in the 2010s decade with 451 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Mali most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Mali are California (87 births), New York (65 births), Texas (43 births).
Is Mali a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Mali is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 1,406 births, and as a boy's name it has 89 births.
How long has the name Mali been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Mali since 1967 -- 59 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Mali? ▼
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 Mali's data
- Mali's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (451 total births) through the 2020s (282) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Malis (87 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 Mali
Nearby Names Like Mali
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Mali
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 Mali side by side: Mali vs Mallory Mali vs Malia Mali vs Malinda
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Mali
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, 1967–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Mali: #3597 Unisex Name - 1,406 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/mali. 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 Mali 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.