UK name, mostly girls
Malin
A feminine name of Scandinavian origin meaning "small or slender one".
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.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 51 boys.
Malin is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Malin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3015, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 13 births.
This profile covers 88 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 2002 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 62% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 107 living people in the UK are called Malin. 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
- • Malin ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 13 girls were registered as Malin.
- • Malin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #630 in 2023.
- • Malin is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 107 living people in the UK are estimated to have Malin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 63.3% of Malin registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3015
2024
Births in 2024
8
Latest year
Peak year
2016
13 births
Estimated living
107
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Malin
In England and Wales birth records, Malin has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 36.7% of registrations are for boys and 63.3% 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.
Malin registered for boys
- Ranked #2,728 in 2019
- 7 boys registered in 2019
- Peak: 2019 (7 births)
Malin registered for girls
- Ranked #3,015 in 2024
- 8 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2016 (13 births)
Meaning
What does Malin mean?
The name Malin has its origins in the Old Norse language, originating from the Scandinavian regions of Northern Europe. It is derived from the Old Norse word "malr," which means "gravel" or "sand." The name was likely given to individuals who lived near sandy or gravelly areas.
In the Viking era, between the 8th and 11th centuries, the name was common among the Norse people in regions such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. It was also found in parts of Iceland, where the Vikings had settled.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Malin can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of stories and historical accounts from the Middle Ages. In the Saga of Erik the Red, a character named Malin Brellinson is mentioned as one of the first Norse settlers in Greenland.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Malin. One of the earliest was Malin Håkansson (c. 1150-1210), a Swedish nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Swedish crusades against the pagan tribes of Finland.
In the 15th century, Malin Sture (1438-1489) was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden during the Kalmar Union period. He was a prominent figure in the struggles for power between the Nordic kingdoms.
Moving forward to the 17th century, Malin Gertner (1591-1670) was a German astronomer and mathematician. She made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the motion of planets.
In the 19th century, Malin Jerningham (1823-1891) was a British explorer and writer. She is best known for her travels and writings about the Middle East, where she documented the customs and cultures of the region.
More recently, Malin Åkerman (born 1978) is a Swedish-Canadian actress and model. She has appeared in numerous films and television shows, including Watchmen, 27 Dresses, and Billions.
These are just a few examples of the notable individuals who have carried the name Malin throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Malin over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Malin 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 Malin, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 13 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Malin by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Malin 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 | #3438 | 34 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3669 | 41 | 6 |
| 2000s | #3978 | 13 | 3 |
Geography
Where Malin is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Malin. 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.
Malin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #630 in 2023.
Across the UK
Malin in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#630 in 2023
5 years of NRS records, 19 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Malin
-
Malin Gavelin
composer
British composer
Related
Names similar to Malin
- 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
Malin: questions and answers
How popular is the name Malin in the UK right now?
In 2024, Malin was ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Malin most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 13 babies registered as Malin in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Malin?
A feminine name of Scandinavian origin meaning "small or slender one".
How many people are called Malin in the UK?
A total of 88 babies have been registered as Malin across the 14 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 19 more in Scotland.
Where is Malin most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Malin ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #630 in 2023. 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.