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).
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
Origin & history
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. The name hit its high-water mark in 2008: 65 births, good for #2,773 nationwide. About 31% of every Mali on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Mali ranks #3,349 for girls with 47 births, holding steady (+2%). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to 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. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 11 births, good for #7,087 nationwide. About 47% of every Mali on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. Mali last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 9 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 81 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
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?
How popular is Mali in 2026?
When was Mali most popular?
In which U.S. states is Mali most popular?
Is Mali a unisex name?
What names go well with Mali?
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
- Top names of 2008 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.