This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance
- Meaning
- Hawaiian form of Mary; sometimes linked to 'calm'
- Origin
- Hawaiian
- Gender
- Girl
- Pronunciation
- mah-LEE-ah
Malia (pronounced mah-LEE-ah) is a Hawaiian girl's name, and it's the Hawaiian form of Mary. You may come across the claim that Malia means "calm" or "peaceful," but that's only a secondary, occasional reading of the name — it's primarily documented as the Hawaiian form of Mary.
Meaning & Origin of Malia
Meaning: Hawaiian form of Mary; sometimes linked to 'calm'.
Origin: Hawaiian.
A common claim: Malia means 'calm, peaceful' Actually: Wiktionary documents 'Malia' primarily as the Hawaiian form of 'Mary'; 'calm' appears only as a secondary, occasional association.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Malia
mah-LEE-ahIPA /məˈliːə/
Popularity of Malia
Malia hit its peak popularity in 2009, ranking #192 with 1,700 baby girls given the name that year. By 2024 it had settled to #326, with 946 babies named Malia.
Names Like Malia
These names share Malia’s style, era or origin.
FAQ
What does the name Malia mean?
Hawaiian form of Mary; sometimes linked to ‘calm’. (Source: Wiktionary)
How do you pronounce Malia?
Malia is pronounced mah-LEE-ah (IPA: /məˈliːə/).
Is Malia a popular name right now?
Malia peaked at #192 in 2009 and is ranked #326 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1919–2024.)
Make Malia Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Malia, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
📊 How popular is Malia? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
