Unisex · #3,349 in 2026

Mali

Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the eighth-largest country in Africa and the 23rd largest country in the world, with an area of over 1,240,192 square kilometres (478,841 sq mi).

Current Rank
#3,349
Peak Rank
#2,680 (2008)
Total Babies
1K
5-Yr Trend
+2%
👧 Girl peak #2,680 (1K total)
👦 Boy peak #7,087 (81 total)
👧As Girl Name
1967
First Year
2026
Last Year
2008
Peak Year
#2680
Peak Rank
1K
Total Count
53
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1976
First Year
2024
Last Year
2021
Peak Year
#7087
Peak Rank
81
Total Count
12
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Mali

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

Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the eighth-largest country in Africa and the 23rd largest country in the world, with an area of over 1,240,192 square kilometres (478,841 sq mi).

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

Etymology
The name Mali is taken from the name of the Mali Empire . It means "the place where the king lives" and carries a connotation of strength. Fourteenth-century Maghrebi traveller Ibn Battuta reported that the capital of the empire was called Mali. One Mandinka tradition tells that the legendary first emperor Sundiata Keita changed himself into a hippopotamus upon his death in the Sankarani River and that it was possible to find villages in the area of this river called "old Mali". A study of Malian proverbs noted that in old Mali, there is a village called Malikoma, which means "New Mali", and t
Origin & history
Main article: History of Mali

The Story of Mali

As a girl name

Mali first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1967, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 65 Malis were born — ranking #2,773 that year. As of 2026, Mali ranks #3,349 for girls with 47 births, holding steady (+2%). In total, more than 1K Malis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Mali first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1976, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 11 Malis were born — ranking #7,087 that year. As of 2026, Mali ranks #8,287 for boys with 9 births, with steady use. In total, more than 81 Malis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

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 Mali

Phonetically similar names — useful when Mali 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 Mali

What does the name Mali mean?
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the eighth-largest country in Africa and the 23rd largest country in the world, with an area of over 1,240,192 square kilometres (478,841 sq mi).
How popular is Mali in 2026?
In 2026, Mali ranks #3,349 among girls' names in the U.S., with 47 babies given the name that year.
When was Mali most popular?
Mali reached its peak popularity in 2008, ranking #2,680 that year with 65 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Mali most popular?
Mali has historically been most popular in Missouri, Maryland, Tennessee. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Mali.
Is Mali a unisex name?
Yes — Mali is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 95% of Malis assigned female and 5% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Mali?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Mali include Ketina, Aela, Corinn. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧 Similar Girl Names

👧
Ketina
Peak #2680
👧
Aela
Peak #2680
👧
Corinn
Peak #2679
👧
Krissie
Peak #2679

👦 Similar Boy Names

👦
Suren
Peak #7087
👦
Briscoe
Peak #7087
👦
Topper
Peak #7087
👦
Guerin
Peak #7087

About the name Mali

Mali is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1967 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Mali's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #2,680. Use the chart and map above to compare Mali'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.