Girl · #2,365 in 2026

Malena

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

Current Rank

#2,365

Peak Rank

#993 (2004)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

-5%

1886

First Year

2026

Last Year

2004

Peak Year

#993

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Malena

Malena first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1886, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2004, when 146 Malenas were born — ranking #1,422 that year. As of 2026, Malena ranks #2,365 for baby girls with 77 births, holding steady (-5%). In total, more than 4K Malenas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Malena

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

Milena
Malinois
Melina
Molina
Malin
Malina
Melena
Milana
Mallin
Molyneux
Melaina
Molyneaux

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Malena

What does the name Malena mean?

Malena is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1886. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Malena in 2026?

In 2026, Malena ranks #2,365 among girls' names in the U.S., with 77 babies given the name that year.

When was Malena most popular?

Malena reached its peak popularity in 2004, ranking #993 that year with 146 babies given the name.

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

Malena has historically been most popular in Puerto Rico, West Virginia, Kentucky. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Malena.

Is Malena a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Malena?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Malena include Betsey, Martie, Troy. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Malena

Malena is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Malena's peak popularity came in 2004 when it ranked #993. Use the chart and map above to compare Malena'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.