Mahalia
Girl name · #3068 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Mahalia? In official American birth records, Mahalia has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Mahalia is currently the #3068 girl name in the United States — 53 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #4144, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 33,962 girls born in 2025 was named Mahalia.
Babies named Mahalia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Mahalia first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2020, when 65 girls were named Mahalia — good for #2597 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mahalia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mahalia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Mahalia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Mahalia will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Mahalia is most common
State-level data for Mahalia 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 Mahalia
Statistically, parents drawn to Mahalia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kahlia, Khalia, Odelia, Azalia, and Lillia.
KahliaKhaliaOdeliaAzaliaLilliaMeliaIdaliaAdelia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mahalia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53 | #3067 |
| 2024 | 51 | #3119 |
| 2023 | 50 | #3225 |
| 2022 | 56 | #2956 |
| 2021 | 57 | #2929 |
| 2020 | 65 | #2597 |
| 2019 | 47 | #3337 |
| 2018 | 47 | #3346 |
| 2017 | 42 | #3627 |
| 2016 | 38 | #3923 |
| 2015 | 35 | #4144 |
| 2014 | 30 | #4657 |
| 2013 | 48 | #3314 |
| 2012 | 27 | #5114 |
| 2011 | 34 | #4244 |
| 2010 | 39 | #3889 |
| 2009 | 38 | #4013 |
| 2008 | 40 | #3936 |
| 2007 | 40 | #3918 |
| 2006 | 50 | #3264 |
| 2005 | 40 | #3646 |
| 2004 | 37 | #3819 |
| 2003 | 40 | #3532 |
| 2002 | 52 | #2854 |
| 2001 | 42 | #3256 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Mahalia?
In official American birth records, the name Mahalia first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Mahalia a popular girl name?
Mahalia ranked #3068 among girls in 2025 with 53 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4144.
When was the name Mahalia most popular?
Mahalia peaked in 2020, when 65 American girls received the name (ranked #2597 that year). Since 2020 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mahalia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 33,962 newborn American girls was named Mahalia. 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.