Girl · #896 in 2026

Malaysia

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

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. A federal constitutional monarchy, it consists of 13 states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia on the Indochinese Peninsula and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo.

Current Rank

#896

Peak Rank

#397 (2014)

Total Babies

11K

5-Yr Trend

-36%

1987

First Year

2026

Last Year

2014

Peak Year

#397

Peak Rank

11K

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Malaysia

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 Malaysia is a combination of the word Malays and the Latin-Greek suffix -ia / -ία , which can be translated as 'land of the Malays'. Similar-sounding variants have also appeared in accounts older than the 11th century, as toponyms for areas in Sumatra or referring to a larger region around the Strait of Malacca. The Sanskrit text Vayu Purana , thought to have been in existence since the first millennium CE, mentioned a land named 'Malayadvipa', which was identified by certain scholars as the modern Malay Peninsula . Other notable accounts are by Ptolemy's 2nd-century Geographia , whic

Origin & history

Main article: History of Malaysia The Malacca Sultanate played a major role in spreading Islam throughout the Malay Archipelago. Evidence of modern human habitation in Malaysia dates back 40,000 years. In the Malay Peninsula, the first inhabitants are thought to be Negritos . Areas of Malaysia participated in the Maritime Jade Road between 2000 BC to 1000 AD. Traders and settlers from India and China arrived as early as the first century AD, establishing trading ports and coastal towns in the second and third centuries. Their presence resulted in strong Indian and Chinese influences on the loc

The Story of Malaysia

Malaysia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1987, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 822 Malaysias were born — ranking #397 that year. As of 2026, Malaysia ranks #896 for baby girls with 299 births, falling sharply (-36%). In total, more than 11K Malaysias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Malaysia

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

Malasia
Malatia
Militia
Malaysian
Malaya
Muleta
Malecha
Melaina
Milicia
Melissa
Malachi
Molina

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Malaysia

What does the name Malaysia mean?

How popular is Malaysia in 2026?

In 2026, Malaysia ranks #896 among girls' names in the U.S., with 299 babies given the name that year.

When was Malaysia most popular?

Malaysia reached its peak popularity in 2014, ranking #397 that year with 822 babies given the name.

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

Malaysia has historically been most popular in Mississippi, Louisiana, Delaware. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Malaysia.

Is Malaysia a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Malaysia?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Malaysia include Suzan, Aretha, Kailyn. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Malaysia

Malaysia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1987 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Malaysia's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #397. Use the chart and map above to compare Malaysia'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.