Maliyah
Girl name · #626 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
Maliyah ranks #626 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 467 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #434, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,854 girls born in 2025 was named Maliyah.
Babies named Maliyah per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 31-year story
Maliyah first appears in the Social Security records in 1994, when 21 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2009, when 1,117 girls were named Maliyah — good for #295 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Maliyah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Maliyah in class?
Maliyah scores 66 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 Maliyah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Maliyah is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Maliyahs were TX (51), CA (40), FL (32), GA (26), NC (24). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Maliyah
Statistically, parents drawn to Maliyah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jaliyah, Janiyah, Zaniyah, Amiyah, and Aniyah.
JaliyahJaniyahZaniyahAmiyahAniyahZariyahMalayahMariyah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Maliyah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 467 | #626 |
| 2024 | 515 | #588 |
| 2023 | 572 | #531 |
| 2022 | 595 | #524 |
| 2021 | 586 | #527 |
| 2020 | 665 | #464 |
| 2019 | 766 | #408 |
| 2018 | 740 | #420 |
| 2017 | 790 | #395 |
| 2016 | 758 | #429 |
| 2015 | 728 | #434 |
| 2014 | 735 | #436 |
| 2013 | 799 | #389 |
| 2012 | 823 | #380 |
| 2011 | 912 | #351 |
| 2010 | 890 | #358 |
| 2009 | 1,117 | #295 |
| 2008 | 481 | #640 |
| 2007 | 384 | #762 |
| 2006 | 306 | #869 |
| 2005 | 296 | #853 |
| 2004 | 260 | #926 |
| 2003 | 296 | #827 |
| 2002 | 249 | #898 |
| 2001 | 190 | #1111 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Maliyah a popular girl name?
Maliyah ranked #626 among girls in 2025 with 467 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #434.
When was the name Maliyah most popular?
Maliyah peaked in 2009, when 1,117 American girls received the name (ranked #295 that year). Since 2009 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Maliyah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,854 newborn American girls was named Maliyah. It scores 66/100 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.