Total births
840
Unisex name · since 1974
Malin
840 babies named Malin in U.S. Social Security records since 1974, with the highest year being 2012. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #8566
- among girls today
- 840
- born since 1974
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other girls
Malin currently ranks #8566 among unisex names in America, with 840 babies recorded since 1974.
Social Security Administration records show Malin recorded 840 times among girls since 1974, holding rank #8566 nationally today, ahead of 52% 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 1974 to 2025.
- #8566 among girls today
- 840 born since 1974
- 2010s peak decade
- 52% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Malin is currently the #8566 unisex name in America, more common than 52% of girls - 840 born since 1974, peaking in the 2010s.
- #8566
- among girls today
- 840
- born since 1974
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 52%
- more common than other girls
Malin vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#8566
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 52% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
53% of everyone ever named Malin was born in this single decade.
2012
Single peak year
66 babies were named Malin in 2012 - its busiest year on record.
How Malin compares
840 Top 35% higher than 65% 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
Malin's all-time total is 120% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Malin | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 840 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 66 | 48 | 19,840 |
Malin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Malin's SSA record in two at 2006 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 1974, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2012 peak of 66, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Malin at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2012
Current rank
#8,566
Active since
1974
Malin popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1974–2025
- Peak year (2012)
- 66
- Annual births at peak, across 52 years of records
Malin popularity over time - boys
230 total births recorded since 1935 (Malin as boys' name)
Malin by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Malin's strongest decade.
441 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 53% of all-time use.
Malin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 25
1980s
25 births
- 1990s 56
1990s
56 births
- 2000s
2000s
179 births
- 2010s
2010s
441 births
- 2020s 134
2020s
134 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 441 births (53% of all-time use).
How Malin 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 Malin's total volume
Malin vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Malin by state
Where Malin concentrates geographically, total births since 1974
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 38 | 4.5% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 12 | 1.4% |
| #3 | Arizona | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #4 | Massachusetts | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #5 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #6 | New York | | 5 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Washington | | 5 | 0.6% |
California share of Malin's total US births 4.5%
Even split
38 of 840 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Malin? ▼
840 babies have been named Malin since 1974. It currently ranks #8566 among girls. The peak year was 2012 with 66 births.
When was Malin most popular? ▼
Malin was most popular in the 2010s decade with 441 total births. The single peak year was 2012.
Where is Malin most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Malin are California (38 births), Minnesota (12 births), Arizona (5 births).
Is Malin a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Malin is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 840 births, and as a boy's name it has 230 births.
How long has the name Malin been used? ▼
Malin has been recorded in Social Security data since 1974, spanning 52 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Malin? ▼
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 Malin's data
- Malin's decade-level peak was the 2010s (441 total births); usage has since declined to 134 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Malins (38 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 Malin
Nearby Names Like Malin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Malin
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 Malin side by side: Malin vs Mallory Malin vs Malia Malin vs Malinda
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Malin
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. "Malin: #8566 Unisex Name - 840 Births, Peak 2012." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/malin. 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 Malin 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.