Malav
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "land by the sea".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Malav. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Malav today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Malav births was 2015 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Malav. 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 Malav. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2015
6 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2015 SSA rank
#11,587
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Malav: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Malav from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6 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
Malav 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 Malav during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Malav
The name Malav is believed to have its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest languages of the Indian subcontinent. The name is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "malava," which means "lover of garlands" or "one who wears garlands." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a person who had a fondness for wearing floral garlands or perhaps someone who was involved in the cultivation or trade of flowers.
The earliest known references to the name Malav can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, particularly in the Puranas, which are a collection of ancient Indian mythological stories. In these texts, Malav is mentioned as the name of a king or ruler from the Malava region, which is located in present-day Madhya Pradesh, India.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Malav was King Malav of the Malava dynasty, who is believed to have ruled in the 6th century CE. This dynasty played a significant role in the history of central India during that time period. Another notable figure with this name was Malav Gajjar, a famous warrior and chieftain who lived in the 8th century CE and was known for his bravery and military prowess.
In the realm of literature, Malav was the name of a character in the ancient Sanskrit play "Vikramorvaśīya," written by the renowned poet Kālidāsa. This play, which dates back to the 5th century CE, is considered a masterpiece of Sanskrit literature and has been widely studied and performed throughout history.
During the medieval period, there were several prominent individuals who bore the name Malav. One such figure was Malav Khilji, a military commander who served under the Delhi Sultanate during the 13th century CE. He was known for his military campaigns and played a crucial role in the expansion of the Sultanate's territories.
Another notable figure from this time period was Malav Rana, a Rajput warrior and chieftain who lived in the 15th century CE. He was renowned for his bravery and fought against the Mughal Empire, defending his territory in the present-day state of Rajasthan, India.
In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the name Malav was Malav Shroff, an Indian businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1923 to 2012. He was the founder of the Otters Club, a prestigious social club in Mumbai, and was known for his contributions to various charitable causes.
While the name Malav has its roots in ancient India, it has since been adopted and used across various cultures and communities, carrying with it a rich historical significance and cultural heritage.
People
Malav + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Malav 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
Malav: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Malav?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Malav 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 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Malav a common name?
We classify Malav as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Malav most popular?
The single biggest year for Malav was 2015, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Malav is about 17 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 Malav in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Malav a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Malav 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 Malav still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Malav 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 Malav 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 Americans are named Malav?
See how many Americans are named Malav on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.