Mahala
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly from Hebrew meaning "tender" or "delicate".
Name Census estimates that about 1,778 living Americans carry the first name Mahala. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mahala today is around 29 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mahala births was 2006 (74 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mahala. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.8K
~ 1 in 192,775 Americans
Peak year
2006
74 babies that year
Average age
29
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,223
Tracked since 1880
Popularity
Mahala: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mahala from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 627 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mahala by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Mahala during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mahalas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 12 states and territories. Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Mahala, while West Virginia, Arkansas, Oregon recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 23 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mahala
The name Mahala is believed to have originated from the Hebrew language, derived from the Hebrew word "mahalah," which means "tender" or "delicate." It is a feminine name that has been in use for centuries, primarily in Jewish and Christian communities.
Mahala is an alternative spelling of the biblical name Mahalah, which appears in the Old Testament. In the Book of Exodus, Mahalah is mentioned as one of the daughters of Zelophehad, who petitioned Moses for the right to inherit their father's land, as he had no sons.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Mahala can be found in the 17th century. Mahala Hore (1598-1635) was an English Puritan woman who was accused of witchcraft during the infamous Salem Witch Trials in colonial Massachusetts.
Another notable person with the name Mahala was Mahala Ranney (1795-1888), an early American pioneer and frontierwoman who settled in Illinois. She is remembered for her resilience and courage in the face of the challenges of frontier life.
In the late 19th century, Mahala Merrick (1853-1945) was a prominent American educator and suffragist who advocated for women's rights and played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement.
Mahala Van Rensselaer (1875-1965) was an American philanthropist and socialite who was known for her charitable work and support of various organizations, including the American Red Cross and the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Mahala Anderton (1893-1972) was a British author and playwright who wrote several novels and plays that explored themes of social injustice and the struggles of working-class women in early 20th century Britain.
While the name Mahala has Jewish and Christian roots, it has also been used by people of various backgrounds and cultures over the centuries, reflecting its enduring appeal and versatility.
People
Mahala + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mahala as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mahala: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mahala?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,778 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mahala going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 192,775 US residents.
Is Mahala a common name?
We classify Mahala as "Rare". It ranks above 93.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,873 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mahala most popular?
The single biggest year for Mahala was 2006, when 74 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mahala is about 29 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mahala a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mahala in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.