Malikai
Boy name · #1416 in 2025 · Uniqueness 70/100
In 2025, 129 baby boys were named Malikai, placing it at #1416 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1895, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,953 boys born in 2025 was named Malikai.
Babies named Malikai per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 28-year story
Malikai first appears in the Social Security records in 1997, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 148 babies and a rank of #1289. 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 Malikai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Malikai in class?
Malikai scores 70 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 Malikai will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Malikai is most common
Geography matters for names, and Malikai is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Malikais were TX (16), CA (13), FL (12), NC (9), VA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Malikai
Statistically, parents drawn to Malikai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Alakai, Mahkai, Akai, Makai, and Mordecai.
AlakaiMahkaiAkaiMakaiMordecaiMalakhiNakaiLakai
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Malikai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 129 | #1409 |
| 2024 | 144 | #1332 |
| 2023 | 148 | #1294 |
| 2022 | 148 | #1289 |
| 2021 | 117 | #1514 |
| 2020 | 144 | #1271 |
| 2019 | 132 | #1354 |
| 2018 | 103 | #1593 |
| 2017 | 109 | #1518 |
| 2016 | 84 | #1799 |
| 2015 | 77 | #1895 |
| 2014 | 66 | #2098 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2113 |
| 2012 | 71 | #1983 |
| 2011 | 59 | #2203 |
| 2010 | 50 | #2467 |
| 2009 | 73 | #1942 |
| 2008 | 68 | #2039 |
| 2007 | 51 | #2473 |
| 2006 | 55 | #2285 |
| 2005 | 50 | #2325 |
| 2004 | 51 | #2238 |
| 2003 | 26 | #3443 |
| 2002 | 35 | #2685 |
| 2001 | 17 | #4476 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Malikai a popular boy name?
Malikai ranked #1416 among boys in 2025 with 129 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1895.
When was the name Malikai most popular?
Malikai peaked in 2022, when 148 American boys received the name (ranked #1289 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Malikai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,953 newborn American boys was named Malikai. It scores 70/100 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.