UK name, mostly boys
Malek
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "king" 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.
Malek is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Malek popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1517, with 17 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 32 births.
This profile covers 291 England and Wales registrations across 26 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 53% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 295 living people in the UK are called Malek. 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
- • Malek ranked #1517 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 17 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 32 boys were registered as Malek.
- • Malek ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #727 in 2024.
- • About 295 living people in the UK are estimated to have Malek as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 94.8% of Malek registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1517
2024
Births in 2024
17
Latest year
Peak year
2021
32 births
Estimated living
295
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Malek
In England and Wales birth records, Malek has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 94.8% of registrations are for boys and 5.2% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Malek registered for boys
- Ranked #1,517 in 2024
- 17 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (32 births)
Malek registered for girls
- Ranked #3,185 in 2011
- 7 girls registered in 2011
- Peak: 2011 (7 births)
Meaning
What does Malek mean?
The name Malek has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, with roots dating back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "malik," which means "king" or "sovereign." The name signifies power, authority, and nobility.
In the early days of Islam, the name Malek was associated with rulers and leaders. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in the Quran, where it is mentioned as one of the attributes of Allah, the Almighty.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Malek. One of the most famous was Malek ibn Anas (714-795 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and the founder of the Maliki school of jurisprudence, one of the four major Sunni schools of Islamic law.
Another prominent individual was Malek Shah (1055-1092 CE), the Sultan of the Seljuk Empire, who ruled over a vast territory spanning modern-day Iran, Iraq, and parts of Central Asia. His reign was marked by the expansion of the Seljuk territories and the patronage of arts and literature.
In the field of literature, Malek al-Shuara (meaning "King of Poets") was a title bestowed upon several influential poets throughout the Islamic world. One such figure was Badr Shakir al-Sayyab (1926-1964), an Iraqi poet who played a significant role in the Arab literary renaissance of the 20th century.
The name Malek also has a presence in ancient Persian literature. One example is Malek Shah, a character in the epic poem "Shahnameh" by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi (940-1020 CE). In the poem, Malek Shah is portrayed as a wise and just ruler.
Another notable figure bearing the name was Malek Adhel (1145-1218 CE), a Kurdish ruler and nobleman who served as the Sultan of Egypt and Syria during the Ayyubid dynasty. He was known for his military prowess and diplomatic skills, as well as his patronage of arts and sciences.
These examples illustrate the rich history and cultural significance of the name Malek, which has been associated with leadership, nobility, and intellectual pursuits across various regions and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Malek over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Malek in England and Wales, 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 Malek, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 17 births in 2024, compared with 32 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Malek by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Malek 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 | #1280 | 109 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2367 | 100 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2282 | 67 | 9 |
| 1990s | #1579 | 15 | 2 |
Geography
Where Malek is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Malek. 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.
Malek ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #727 in 2024.
Across the UK
Malek in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#727 in 2024
2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered
Related
Names similar to Malek
- 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
Malek: questions and answers
How popular is the name Malek in the UK right now?
In 2024, Malek was ranked #1517 for boys in England and Wales, with 17 births registered.
When was Malek most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 32 babies registered as Malek in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Malek?
A masculine name of Arabic origin meaning "king" or "sovereign".
How many people are called Malek in the UK?
A total of 291 babies have been registered as Malek across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.
Where is Malek most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Malek ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #727 in 2024. 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.