Find out how popular the first name Malachi has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Malachi by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Malachi is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Malachi being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 2,466 male babies and 7 female babies born with the name Malachi.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 7 baby girls were named Malachi in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Malachi

The name Malachi has its roots in the Hebrew language and culture, originating from the biblical period. It is derived from the Hebrew words "mal'akh" meaning "messenger" and "Yah" referring to God. The name Malachi can be translated as "messenger of God" or "my messenger."

Malachi is the last book of the Neviim (Prophets) section in the Hebrew Bible. It is believed to have been written during the 5th century BCE, around the time of the Persian period. The book is attributed to the prophet Malachi, whose name means "my messenger," and it contains prophecies and teachings about the importance of following God's commandments.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Malachi can be found in the Book of Malachi itself, where the prophet is referred to by his name. This biblical figure is believed to have lived and prophesied in Jerusalem during the Persian period, around 430 BCE.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Malachi. One of the earliest was Malachi ben Jacob, a Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in the 11th century CE in Cordoba, Spain. Another was Malachi Browne, an Irish-born priest and writer who lived from 1597 to 1648 and served as a Catholic missionary in Persia.

In the 17th century, Malachi Thruston was an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works. He lived from 1636 to 1714. Malachi Malagrowther was the pseudonym used by Sir Walter Scott, the renowned Scottish novelist and poet, when writing a series of letters criticizing the government's policies in the early 19th century.

More recently, Malachi Martin was an Irish Catholic priest and writer who gained recognition for his works on the Catholic Church and his involvement in various controversies. He lived from 1921 to 1999.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Malachi, a name with deep roots in Hebrew culture and biblical tradition, symbolizing the role of a messenger or prophet of God.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Malachi was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Malachi, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!