UK girl's name
Maliah
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "my angel".
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.
Maliah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Maliah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2411, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 19 births.
This profile covers 137 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2009 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 58% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 136 living people in the UK are called Maliah. 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
- • Maliah ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 19 girls were registered as Maliah.
- • About 136 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maliah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2411
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2020
19 births
Estimated living
136
2026
Meaning
What does Maliah mean?
The name Maliah is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language, derived from the word "malak," which means "angel" or "messenger of God." This name is thought to have emerged during the early Islamic period, around the 7th century AD, in the regions of the Middle East and North Africa.
In Arabic culture, names often hold deep spiritual and religious significance, and Maliah is no exception. The name is associated with divine grace, purity, and protection, reflecting the belief that angels are celestial beings tasked with delivering messages from God and guarding over humanity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maliah can be found in historical texts from the 9th century, where it was mentioned as the name of a female scholar and poet from the city of Baghdad. This scholar, known as Maliah al-Baghdadiyah, was renowned for her contributions to Arabic literature and her mastery of various poetic forms.
Throughout the centuries, the name Maliah has been borne by several notable figures across various cultures and regions. In the 12th century, there was a celebrated Sufi mystic from Persia named Maliah al-Rumi, who was known for her profound spiritual teachings and her devotion to the path of love and unity.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Maliah al-Chalabi was a prominent Syrian writer and activist who played a significant role in the Arab Renaissance movement. Her works focused on advocating for women's rights and promoting educational reforms in the region.
In more recent times, Maliah Dunn, an American actress born in 1968, has gained recognition for her roles in television series and films, including "The Sopranos" and "The 24th Day."
Another notable figure is Maliah Michel, a French-Moroccan fashion designer born in 1976, who has made a name for herself in the world of haute couture, blending traditional Moroccan influences with contemporary design elements.
While the name Maliah has its roots in Arabic culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and has been adopted by various communities around the world, each infusing it with their own cultural interpretations and meanings.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Maliah over time
The chart below shows babies named Maliah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2009 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 Maliah, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 19 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maliah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maliah 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 | #2206 | 64 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3460 | 68 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3936 | 5 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Maliah
- 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
Maliah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Maliah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Maliah was ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Maliah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 19 babies registered as Maliah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Maliah?
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "my angel".
How many people are called Maliah in the UK?
A total of 137 babies have been registered as Maliah across the 15 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.