Maleah
Maleah is a girl's name of Hawaiian origin.
Meaning
Bitterness, wished-for child, or beloved (via Mary/Malia); alternatively 'beautiful' (Arabic).
Origin and history
Maleah is a modern feminine name primarily recognized as a phonetic spelling variation of Malia, the Hawaiian form of Mary or Maria. It may also share roots with the Arabic name Maliah, meaning beautiful or graceful. In the United States, Maleah gained steady usage starting in the late 20th century.
Popularity in the United States
9,426 babies in the United States have been named Maleah since 1880. It ranks #1716 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #962.
States where it is most popular
- CA (11.7 %)
- TX (7.9 %)
- FL (7.1 %)
- OH (5.9 %)
- GA (5.3 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 0 |
| 1950-1960 | 15 |
| 1960-1970 | 29 |
| 1970-1980 | 83 |
| 1980-1990 | 207 |
| 1990-2000 | 561 |
| 2000-2010 | 2,925 |
| 2010-2019 | 4,115 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,491 |
Fun facts
- Maleah evolved largely as a phonetic English spelling variant of the Hawaiian name Malia.
- The name saw increased adoption in the U.S. during the late 1990s and 2000s alongside similar melodic names.