UK boy's name
Maleek
An Arabic name meaning king, ruler or sovereign.
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.
Maleek is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Maleek popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1595, with 16 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 34 births.
This profile covers 259 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 47% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 257 living people in the UK are called Maleek. 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
- • Maleek ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 16 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 34 boys were registered as Maleek.
- • About 257 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maleek as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1595
2024
Births in 2024
16
Latest year
Peak year
2019
34 births
Estimated living
257
2026
Meaning
What does Maleek mean?
The name Maleek is derived from the Arabic language and has its roots in the word "malik," which means "king" or "sovereign." This name gained popularity in the Middle East and North Africa during the medieval period, particularly among Arab and Islamic cultures.
In Islamic tradition, the name Maleek is often associated with the archangel Malik, who is believed to be the keeper of Hell in Islamic eschatology. The name is mentioned in the Quran, the central religious text of Islam, where it refers to the ruler or guardian of the underworld.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maleek can be traced back to the 7th century, when it was borne by Malik ibn Anas, a prominent Islamic scholar and the founder of the Maliki school of jurisprudence. He was born in Medina in 711 CE and played a significant role in the development of Islamic law.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Maleek. One such individual was Malik al-Salih, a Kurdish ruler of the Artuqid dynasty who governed the region of Diyarbakir (modern-day southeastern Turkey) in the 12th century. He was known for his military campaigns and his patronage of architecture, including the construction of the famous Mal'ik Mosque in Diyarbakir.
Another prominent figure was Malik Ambar, an Ethiopian-born military leader who served as the Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in the Deccan region of India during the early 17th century. He is celebrated for his strategic military prowess and his efforts in transforming the Ahmadnagar Sultanate into a formidable power.
In literature, the name Maleek is associated with Malik Ayaz, a character from the famous Persian epic poem "Shahnameh" by Ferdowsi. Malik Ayaz was a slave who rose to become a trusted companion and general of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, a renowned ruler of the Ghaznavid Empire in the 11th century.
More recently, Malik Ambar, an Indian film actor and producer, gained recognition for his work in Bollywood during the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in 1939 and appeared in numerous popular films, including "Elaan" and "Roti Kapada Aur Makaan."
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Maleek over time
The chart below shows babies named Maleek registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 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 Maleek, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 16 births in 2024, compared with 34 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maleek by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maleek 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 | #1267 | 110 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2399 | 113 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2862 | 32 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2419 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Maleek
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Maleek: questions and answers
How popular is the name Maleek in the UK right now?
In 2024, Maleek was ranked #1595 for boys in England and Wales, with 16 births registered.
When was Maleek most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 34 babies registered as Maleek in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Maleek?
An Arabic name meaning king, ruler or sovereign.
How many people are called Maleek in the UK?
A total of 259 babies have been registered as Maleek across the 22 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.