Malek
Boy name · #1475 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Malek scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. 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
Geography matters for names, and Malek is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Maleks were CA (25), TX (10), MI (9), NY (9), FL (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.