Maela
Girl name · #3055 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Maela? In official American birth records, Maela has been tracked continuously since 2002, giving it 23 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 54 baby girls were named Maela, placing it at #3055 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #7266, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 33,333 girls born in 2025 was named Maela.
The 23-year story
Maela first appears in the Social Security records in 2002, when 7 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 70 babies and a rank of #2533. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Maela per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Maela against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Maela in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Maela is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Maela will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Maela is most common
State-level data for Maela is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Maela
Statistically, parents drawn to Maela tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ciela, Aela, Antonela, Vaela, and Raela.
CielaAelaAntonelaVaelaRaelaMailaXelaAylla
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Maela | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 54 | #3028 |
| 2024 | 70 | #2533 |
| 2023 | 54 | #3047 |
| 2022 | 21 | #5793 |
| 2021 | 28 | #4719 |
| 2020 | 26 | #4880 |
| 2019 | 21 | #5798 |
| 2018 | 13 | #8146 |
| 2017 | 9 | #10689 |
| 2016 | 16 | #7230 |
| 2015 | 16 | #7266 |
| 2014 | 11 | #9517 |
| 2013 | 19 | #6462 |
| 2012 | 14 | #8208 |
| 2011 | 10 | #10374 |
| 2010 | 10 | #10451 |
| 2009 | 12 | #9379 |
| 2008 | 12 | #9476 |
| 2007 | 10 | #10818 |
| 2006 | 12 | #9286 |
| 2002 | 7 | #12187 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Maela?
In official American birth records, the name Maela first appeared in 2002 (over 23 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 23 years.
Is Maela a popular girl name?
Maela ranked #3055 among girls in 2025 with 54 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #7266.
When was the name Maela most popular?
Maela peaked in 2024, when 70 American girls received the name (ranked #2533 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Maela?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 33,333 newborn American girls was named Maela. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.