Malachias
A masculine name of Hebrew origin connected with the prophet Malachi.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Malachias. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Malachias today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Malachias births was 2020 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Malachias. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Malachias. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2020
6 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#11,472
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Malachias: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Malachias 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 Malachias during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Malachias
The name Malachias has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, tracing back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew name Mal'achi, which means "messenger of God" or "my messenger." The name is closely tied to the biblical figure Malachi, one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament and the last book of the Neviim (Prophets).
In the Book of Malachi, the prophet is portrayed as a messenger sent by God to rebuke the Israelites for their transgressions and to call them back to righteous living. The name Malachias, therefore, carries a strong religious and prophetic connotation, reflecting the role of a divine messenger or one who speaks on behalf of God.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Malachias can be found in the writings of early Christian scholars and theologians. Saint Malachias, an Irish monk born around 1094 and died in 1148, is perhaps one of the most notable individuals to bear this name. He was a renowned reformer and the first Irish saint to be canonized by a pope.
Another prominent figure named Malachias was Malachy O'Morgair, an Irish archbishop who lived from 1095 to 1148. He is known for his prophecies regarding the succession of popes, which were later compiled and published as the "Prophecy of the Popes."
In the 13th century, Malachias de Inguaren, a Spanish Dominican friar and theologian, made significant contributions to the development of scholastic philosophy and theology. He was born around 1200 and died in 1283.
During the Renaissance period, Malachias Froben, a Swiss printer and publisher, played a crucial role in the dissemination of knowledge. Born in 1460 and died in 1527, he established a renowned printing house in Basel, Switzerland, and published works by renowned scholars and humanists of his time.
In more recent history, Malachias Baruya, an influential chief and leader of the Baruya tribe in Papua New Guinea, gained recognition for his efforts in preserving the cultural heritage and traditions of his people. He lived from around 1920 to 1988.
People
Malachias + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Malachias 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
Malachias: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Malachias?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Malachias 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Malachias a common name?
We classify Malachias as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Malachias most popular?
The single biggest year for Malachias was 2020, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Malachias is about 6 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Malachias in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Malachias a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Malachias in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Malachias still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Malachias in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Malachias can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Malachias as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Malachias on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.