Malaika
Girl name · #2339 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Malaika? In official American birth records, Malaika has been tracked continuously since 1968, giving it 57 years of documented American history.
Malaika ranks #2339 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 78 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2773, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 23,077 girls born in 2025 was named Malaika.
The 57-year story
Malaika first appears in the Social Security records in 1968, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2006, when 86 girls were named Malaika — good for #2229 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.
Babies named Malaika per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Malaika against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malaika in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Malaika is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Malaika will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Malaika is most common
State-level data for Malaika 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 Malaika
Statistically, parents drawn to Malaika tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mahika, Veronika, Mika, Malika, and Mihika.
MahikaVeronikaMikaMalikaMihikaMalenaDanikaRadhika
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malaika | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78 | #2326 |
| 2024 | 86 | #2203 |
| 2023 | 72 | #2466 |
| 2022 | 67 | #2604 |
| 2021 | 75 | #2384 |
| 2020 | 62 | #2682 |
| 2019 | 52 | #3085 |
| 2018 | 66 | #2610 |
| 2017 | 69 | #2546 |
| 2016 | 57 | #2934 |
| 2015 | 63 | #2773 |
| 2014 | 58 | #2922 |
| 2013 | 53 | #3076 |
| 2012 | 49 | #3314 |
| 2011 | 62 | #2796 |
| 2010 | 69 | #2614 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2852 |
| 2008 | 51 | #3267 |
| 2007 | 69 | #2647 |
| 2006 | 86 | #2229 |
| 2005 | 74 | #2379 |
| 2004 | 85 | #2117 |
| 2003 | 72 | #2321 |
| 2002 | 66 | #2414 |
| 2001 | 60 | #2540 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Malaika?
In official American birth records, the name Malaika first appeared in 1968 (over 57 years ago), when 8 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 57 years.
Is Malaika a popular girl name?
Malaika ranked #2339 among girls in 2025 with 78 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2773.
When was the name Malaika most popular?
Malaika peaked in 2006, when 86 American girls received the name (ranked #2229 that year). Since 2006 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Malaika?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 23,077 newborn American girls was named Malaika. 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.