Girl · #4,889 in 2026

Malva

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

Malva is a genus of herbaceous or woody, annual, biennial, and perennial plants in the family Malvaceae. It is one of several closely related genera in the family to bear the common English name mallow. The genus is widespread throughout the temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Europe.

Swedish

Current Rank

#4,889

Peak Rank

#2,762 (1921)

Total Babies

209

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1915

First Year

1958

Last Year

1921

Peak Year

#2762

Peak Rank

209

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Malva

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

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

Swedish

Etymology

The word "mallow" is derived from Old English "mealwe", which was imported from Latin "malva", cognate with Ancient Greek μαλάχη (malakhē) meaning "mallow", both perhaps reflecting a Mediterranean term. The Italian linguist Vincenzo Cocco proposed an etymological link to Georgian malokhi , comparing also Hebrew מַלּוּחַ ( malúakh ) meaning "salty". In 1859, the colour mauve was named after the French name for this plant.

Origin & history

Portrait of Louise Vernet by Horace Vernet , 1830. She is shown clutching a mallow The third century BC physician Diphilus of Siphnus wrote that "[mallow] juice lubricates the windpipe, nourishes, and is easily digested." Horace mentions it in reference to his own diet, which he describes as very simple: "Me pascunt olivae, / me cichorea levesque malvae" ("As for me, olives, endives, and mallows provide sustenance"). Lord Monboddo describes his translation of an ancient epigram that demonstrates Malva was planted upon the graves of the ancients, stemming from the belief that the dead could fee

The Story of Malva

The earliest SSA record of Malva as a baby girl name dates back to 1915, when 6 babies received it. 1921 was its biggest year on record, with 12 newborns named Malva — #2,762 in the national rankings. About 32% of every Malva on record arrived during the 1950s, its defining decade. Malva last appeared in the published SSA data in 1958, with 7 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 209 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Malva

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

Molva
Melva
Molvi
Malia
Mallia
Mala
Mulvey
Molla
Mollah
Mava
Malveaux
Malv

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Malva

What does the name Malva mean?

What is the origin of the name Malva?

Malva has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Swedish.

How popular is Malva in 2026?

In 2026, Malva ranks #4,889 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.

When was Malva most popular?

Malva reached its peak popularity in 1921, ranking #2,762 that year with 12 babies given the name.

Is Malva a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Malva?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Malva include Arra, Anie, Icey. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Malva

Malva is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 209 births in the dataset. Malva's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #2,762. Use the chart and map above to compare Malva'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.