Malakhai
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "messenger of God".
Name Census estimates that about 399 living Americans carry the first name Malakhai. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Malakhai today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Malakhai births was 2023 (42 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Malakhai. 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
399
~ 1 in 859,033 Americans
Peak year
2023
42 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,021
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Malakhai: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Malakhai from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 164 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Malakhai 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 Malakhai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Malakhais live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, California, Virginia recorded the most babies named Malakhai, while Virginia, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Malakhai
The name Malakhai originates from the Hebrew language and culture, and its roots can be traced back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew words "mal'akh" meaning "messenger" and "Yah" being a shortened form of the name of God, Yahweh. The name Malakhai, therefore, translates to "messenger of God" or "angel of the Lord."
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Malakhai can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets. The Book of Malachi, written around 500-400 BC, is attributed to this prophet, whose name is a variant spelling of Malakhai.
In the Middle Ages, the name Malakhai was relatively uncommon, but it gained some popularity during the Renaissance period. One notable bearer of the name was Malakhai ben Jacob, a 14th-century Jewish scholar and philosopher from Spain.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Malakhai was occasionally used as a given name in various European countries, particularly in areas with strong Christian traditions. One example is Malakhai Thurston, an English writer and theologian who lived from 1628 to 1695.
In the 19th century, Malakhai became more widespread, although it remained relatively rare compared to other biblical names. One notable figure from this period was Malakhai Moktafi, an Iranian Sufi mystic and poet who lived from 1810 to 1885.
As the 20th century dawned, the name Malakhai continued to be used, albeit sporadically. One notable bearer was Malakhai Kerashvili, a Georgian painter and artist who lived from 1910 to 1982.
While not as common as some other biblical names, Malakhai has maintained a presence throughout history, primarily due to its religious and spiritual associations. Its meaning as "messenger of God" or "angel of the Lord" has likely contributed to its enduring appeal among certain communities.
People
Malakhai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Malakhai 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
Malakhai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Malakhai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 399 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Malakhai 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 859,033 US residents.
Is Malakhai a common name?
We classify Malakhai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 402 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Malakhai most popular?
The single biggest year for Malakhai was 2023, when 42 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Malakhai is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Malakhai a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Malakhai 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.
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.