Malek
Boy name · #1475 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Malek? In official American birth records, Malek has been tracked continuously since 1974, giving it 51 years of documented American history.
Malek is currently the #1475 boy name in the United States — 121 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2001, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,876 boys born in 2025 was named Malek.
Babies named Malek per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 51-year story
Malek first appears in the Social Security records in 1974, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 151 babies and a rank of #1271. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Malek against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malek in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Malek is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Malek will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Malek is most common
State-level data for Malek 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 Malek
Statistically, parents drawn to Malek tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zarek, Mahdi, Mayer, Merrick, and Mylan.
ZarekMahdiMayerMerrickMylanMavrickNarekMikael
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malek | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 121 | #1466 |
| 2024 | 128 | #1426 |
| 2023 | 151 | #1271 |
| 2022 | 118 | #1523 |
| 2021 | 118 | #1503 |
| 2020 | 125 | #1390 |
| 2019 | 130 | #1372 |
| 2018 | 100 | #1625 |
| 2017 | 93 | #1695 |
| 2016 | 95 | #1663 |
| 2015 | 72 | #2001 |
| 2014 | 96 | #1619 |
| 2013 | 83 | #1754 |
| 2012 | 97 | #1602 |
| 2011 | 81 | #1780 |
| 2010 | 77 | #1868 |
| 2009 | 98 | #1618 |
| 2008 | 88 | #1719 |
| 2007 | 69 | #2016 |
| 2006 | 71 | #1893 |
| 2005 | 84 | #1619 |
| 2004 | 71 | #1763 |
| 2003 | 71 | #1717 |
| 2002 | 72 | #1647 |
| 2001 | 82 | #1481 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Malek?
In official American birth records, the name Malek first appeared in 1974 (over 51 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 51 years.
Is Malek a popular boy name?
Malek ranked #1475 among boys in 2025 with 121 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2001.
When was the name Malek most popular?
Malek peaked in 2023, when 151 American boys received the name (ranked #1271 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Malek?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,876 newborn American boys was named Malek. 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.