UK girl's name
Malak
An Arabic name meaning angel or messenger.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Malak is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Malak popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #869, with 42 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 71 births.
This profile covers 957 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 59% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 977 living people in the UK are called Malak. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Malak ranked #869 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 42 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 71 girls were registered as Malak.
- • Malak ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #531 in 2022.
- • About 977 living people in the UK are estimated to have Malak as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#869
2024
Births in 2024
42
Latest year
Peak year
2010
71 births
Estimated living
977
2026
Meaning
What does Malak mean?
The name Malak is derived from the Arabic language and has its roots in ancient Arabic culture. It is believed to have originated from the Arabic word "malak," which translates to "angel" or "messenger of God." This name has been in use for centuries, dating back to the pre-Islamic era in the Arabian Peninsula.
In Arabic literature and Islamic texts, the word "malak" is often used to refer to celestial beings or angels. The Quran, the central religious text of Islam, mentions the term "malak" numerous times, describing angels as messengers of God who carry out various tasks and responsibilities. This association with angels and divine messengers has imbued the name Malak with a profound spiritual significance in Arabic and Islamic cultures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Malak can be found in the Quran itself, where it is mentioned as the name of an angel. Additionally, historical records indicate that the name was popular among Arabic-speaking communities in the Middle East and North Africa during the early Islamic period, from the 7th century onwards.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Malak. One of the most famous was Malak al-Tawil (1244-1318), a renowned Sufi mystic and scholar from Damascus, Syria. His writings and teachings on spiritual enlightenment and the mystical aspects of Islam had a significant influence on the development of Sufism in the region.
Another prominent figure was Malak ibn Anas (715-795), a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Medina, Saudi Arabia. He is best known for his seminal work, "Al-Muwatta," which is considered one of the earliest and most authoritative collections of hadith (sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad).
In the realm of literature, Malak Hifni Nasif (1886-1918) was an Egyptian poet and writer whose works played a pivotal role in the Arabic literary renaissance of the early 20th century. His poems and essays explored themes of nationalism, modernity, and the Arab identity.
Malak al-Husayni (1856-1924) was a Palestinian Arab leader and politician who played a significant role in the early 20th century Palestinian national movement. He served as the mayor of Jerusalem and advocated for Palestinian rights and self-determination during the Ottoman and British rule.
Malak Karsh (1915-2001) was a renowned Lebanese-Canadian photographer known for his iconic portraits of famous individuals, including Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, and Muhammad Ali. His work has been featured in numerous prestigious publications and galleries worldwide.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Malak over time
The chart below shows babies named Malak registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Malak, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 42 births in 2024, compared with 71 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Malak by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Malak was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #830 | 221 | 5 |
| 2010s | #868 | 448 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1151 | 268 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2285 | 20 | 3 |
Geography
Where Malak is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Malak. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Malak ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #531 in 2022.
Across the UK
Malak in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#531 in 2022
6 years of NRS records, 25 total registered
Related
Names similar to Malak
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Malak: questions and answers
How popular is the name Malak in the UK right now?
In 2024, Malak was ranked #869 for girls in England and Wales, with 42 births registered.
When was Malak most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 71 babies registered as Malak in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Malak?
An Arabic name meaning angel or messenger.
How many people are called Malak in the UK?
A total of 957 babies have been registered as Malak across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 25 more in Scotland.
Where is Malak most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Malak ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #531 in 2022. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.