Girl · #15,292 in 2026

Makala

Name: Popularity of the name Makala in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Makala, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Makala is a commune located in the Funa District of Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Covering an area of 5.60 square kilometers, Makala is situated in Kinshasa's southern hilly region and has an estimated population of 698,495 as of 2015.

Current Rank

#15,292

Peak Rank

#774 (1998)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1971

First Year

2022

Last Year

1998

Peak Year

#774

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Makala

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology

The name " Makala " has disputed origins; some attribute it to the Humbu word meaning "cry", while others suggest it derives the Lingala word for charcoal (" makala "), associated with the Bangala people 's charcoal trade near the present site of Makala Central Prison .

Origin & history

The area now known as Makala was once part of a dense forest that encompassed the present-day communes of Ngaba , Makala, Selembao , Bumbu , Mont Ngafula , and the Binza district. Historically, the region was governed by Teke -Humbu Chief Musoni. In 1968, Makala and its surrounding areas, previously part of the Kasangulu territory, were annexed to the city of Kinshasa and subdivided into distinct communes. Joseph Tuwanuka served as the first mayor of Makala following its formal establishment as a commune.

The Story of Makala

Makala first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1971, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1998, when 277 Makalas were born — ranking #774 that year. As of 2026, Makala ranks #15,292 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 3K Makalas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Makala

Phonetically similar names — useful when Makala is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Mccollough
Mckayla
Mikala
Mccullough
Makalu
Mccolley
Michela
Macaulay
Mccauley
Mcauley
Macauley
Mikula

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Makala

What does the name Makala mean?

How popular is Makala in 2026?

In 2026, Makala ranks #15,292 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Makala most popular?

Makala reached its peak popularity in 1998, ranking #774 that year with 277 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Makala most popular?

Makala has historically been most popular in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arkansas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Makala.

Is Makala a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Makala is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Makala?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Makala include Hildred, Celena, Paisleigh. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Makala

Makala is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1971 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Makala's peak popularity came in 1998 when it ranked #774. Use the chart and map above to compare Makala's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.