Malu
Malu is a traditional Samoan tattoo applied to women. The malu covers the legs from just below the knee to the upper thighs just below the buttocks, and is typically finer and more delicate in design compared to the peʻa, the tattoo worn by men. The malu takes its name from a particular lozenge-shaped motif of the same name, usually tattooed behind the knee, in the popliteal fossa.
Meaning & Origin of Malu
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Malu is a traditional Samoan tattoo applied to women. The malu covers the legs from just below the knee to the upper thighs just below the buttocks, and is typically finer and more delicate in design compared to the peʻa, the tattoo worn by men. The malu takes its name from a particular lozenge-shaped motif of the same name, usually tattooed behind the knee, in the popliteal fossa.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Malu
Malu first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1995, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2024: 25 births, good for #5,133 nationwide. About 53% of every Malu on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Malu ranks #5,644 for baby girls with 22 births, gradually rising (+11%). All told, over 291 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Malu
Phonetically similar names — useful when Malu 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 Malu
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About the name Malu
Malu is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 291 births in the dataset. Malu's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #5,133. Use the chart and map above to compare Malu's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2024 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.