Malani
Girl name · #374 in 2025 · Uniqueness 43/100
In 2025, 822 baby girls were named Malani, placing it at #374 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1247, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,190 girls born in 2025 was named Malani.
The 48-year story
Malani first appears in the Social Security records in 1977, when 6 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 943 babies and a rank of #330. 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 Malani per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Malani against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malani in class?
Malani scores 43 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Malani is most common
Geography matters for names, and Malani is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Malanis were TX (98), FL (83), LA (52), GA (50), NC (46). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Malani
Statistically, parents drawn to Malani tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Milani, Kalani, Nalani, Meilani, and Jaylani.
MilaniKalaniNalaniMeilaniJaylaniKailaniKaylaniLaylani
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malani | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 822 | #374 |
| 2024 | 943 | #330 |
| 2023 | 870 | #350 |
| 2022 | 790 | #397 |
| 2021 | 750 | #420 |
| 2020 | 618 | #494 |
| 2019 | 433 | #670 |
| 2018 | 373 | #743 |
| 2017 | 290 | #920 |
| 2016 | 210 | #1188 |
| 2015 | 196 | #1247 |
| 2014 | 103 | #1940 |
| 2013 | 83 | #2236 |
| 2012 | 117 | #1760 |
| 2011 | 104 | #1909 |
| 2010 | 70 | #2589 |
| 2009 | 58 | #2966 |
| 2008 | 32 | #4647 |
| 2007 | 34 | #4380 |
| 2006 | 41 | #3734 |
| 2005 | 48 | #3212 |
| 2004 | 19 | #6216 |
| 2003 | 24 | #5092 |
| 2002 | 14 | #7444 |
| 2001 | 11 | #8758 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Malani a popular girl name?
Malani ranked #374 among girls in 2025 with 822 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #1247.
When was the name Malani most popular?
Malani peaked in 2024, when 943 American girls received the name (ranked #330 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Malani?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,190 newborn American girls was named Malani. It scores 43/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.