Machala
Machala is a city in south-west Ecuador. It is the capital of the El Oro Province, and is located near the Gulf of Guayaquil on fertile lowlands. Machala has a population of 288,072 according to the 2022 census; it is the sixth-biggest city in the country, and the second-most important port. It has been referred to as the Banana Capital of the World.
Meaning & Origin of Machala
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Machala is a city in south-west Ecuador. It is the capital of the El Oro Province, and is located near the Gulf of Guayaquil on fertile lowlands. Machala has a population of 288,072 according to the 2022 census; it is the sixth-biggest city in the country, and the second-most important port. It has been referred to as the Banana Capital of the World.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Machala
Machala first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1994, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1998, when 12 Machalas were born — ranking #7,532 that year. As of 2026, Machala ranks #17,168 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 52 Machalas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Machala
Phonetically similar names — useful when Machala is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Machala
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About the name Machala
Machala is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1994 and has accumulated 52 births in the dataset. Machala's peak popularity came in 1998 when it ranked #7,532. Use the chart and map above to compare Machala's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1998 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.