Boy · #1,383 in 2026

Malek

Malek is a masculine Arabic given name. It also denotes king written. Notable people with the name include:Malek Ashraf, a Chupanid ruler of northwestern Iran during the 14th century Malek Awab, Singaporean footballer Malek Bennabi (1905–1973), Algerian writer and philosopher Malek Boutih, French politician and activist Malek Chergui, French footballer of Algerian descent Malek Jandali,…

Current Rank
#1,383
Peak Rank
#1,270 (2023)
Total Babies
3K
5-Yr Trend
+18%
2011
First Year
2011
Last Year
2011
Peak Year
#14823
Peak Rank
6
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Malek

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

Malek is a masculine Arabic given name. It also denotes king written. Notable people with the name include:Malek Ashraf, a Chupanid ruler of northwestern Iran during the 14th century Malek Awab, Singaporean footballer Malek Bennabi (1905–1973), Algerian writer and philosopher Malek Boutih, French politician and activist Malek Chergui, French footballer of Algerian descent Malek Jandali,…

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

The Story of Malek

Malek first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1974, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 151 Maleks were born — ranking #1,270 that year. As of 2026, Malek ranks #1,383 for baby boys with 137 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Maleks have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Malek

Phonetically similar names — useful when Malek 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 Malek

What does the name Malek mean?
Malek is a masculine Arabic given name. It also denotes king written. Notable people with the name include:Malek Ashraf, a Chupanid ruler of northwestern Iran during the 14th century Malek Awab, Singaporean footballer Malek Bennabi (1905–1973), Algerian writer and philosopher Malek Boutih, French politician and activist Malek Chergui, French footballer of Algerian descent Malek Jandali,…
How popular is Malek in 2026?
In 2026, Malek ranks #1,383 among boys' names in the U.S., with 137 babies given the name that year.
When was Malek most popular?
Malek reached its peak popularity in 2023, ranking #1,270 that year with 151 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Malek most popular?
Malek has historically been most popular in Kentucky, Michigan, South Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Malek.
Is Malek a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Malek is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Malek?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Malek include Adael, Carver, Laine. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Malek

Malek is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Malek's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #1,270. Use the chart and map above to compare Malek'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.