Malai
Malai is a type of clotted cream, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is used in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, especially in sweets from the Indian subcontinent. It is made by heating non-homogenized whole milk to about 80 °C (180 °F) for about one hour and then cooling it. A thick yellowish layer of fat and coagulated proteins forms on the surface, which is skimmed off.
Meaning & Origin of Malai
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Malai is a type of clotted cream, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is used in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, especially in sweets from the Indian subcontinent. It is made by heating non-homogenized whole milk to about 80 °C (180 °F) for about one hour and then cooling it. A thick yellowish layer of fat and coagulated proteins forms on the surface, which is skimmed off.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Malai
Malai first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2005, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 17 Malais were born — ranking #6,626 that year. As of 2026, Malai ranks #9,142 for baby girls with 9 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 215 Malais have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Malai
Phonetically similar names — useful when Malai 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 Malai
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About the name Malai
Malai is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2005 and has accumulated 215 births in the dataset. Malai's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #6,626. Use the chart and map above to compare Malai's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2020 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "M" →
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- 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.