Malayla
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "mountain garland".
Name Census estimates that about 302 living Americans carry the first name Malayla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Malayla today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Malayla births was 2013 (26 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Malayla. 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
302
~ 1 in 1,134,948 Americans
Peak year
2013
26 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,223
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Malayla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Malayla from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 174 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Malayla remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Malayla 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 Malayla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Malaylas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Malayla
The name Malayla is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, with its roots dating back to ancient India. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "malaya," which means "garland" or "wreath," symbolizing beauty, grace, and elegance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Malayla can be found in the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, where it was mentioned as the name of a celestial nymph or apsara. This ancient text, composed between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE, played a significant role in shaping Indian mythology and culture.
In the 7th century CE, a famous Indian mathematician and astronomer named Malayla lived during the Gupta Empire. Her contributions to the field of mathematics and astronomy were remarkable, and she is credited with developing methods for calculating the positions of planets and stars.
During the medieval period, the name Malayla was associated with several prominent figures in Indian literature and poetry. One such figure was Malayla, a 12th-century Sanskrit poet and scholar from the Karnataka region, known for her brilliant works of poetry and philosophy.
In the 16th century, Malayla was the name of a renowned dancer and courtesan in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Her exceptional skills in dance and music earned her great fame and recognition during that era.
Another notable figure with the name Malayla was a 19th-century Indian freedom fighter and social reformer from Maharashtra. She played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement and advocated for women's rights and education.
While the name Malayla has its roots in ancient India, it has transcended geographical boundaries and cultural divides. Throughout history, individuals bearing this name have made significant contributions to various fields, leaving an indelible mark on the world.
People
Malayla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Malayla 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
Malayla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Malayla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 302 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Malayla 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 1,134,948 US residents.
Is Malayla a common name?
We classify Malayla as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 304 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Malayla most popular?
The single biggest year for Malayla was 2013, when 26 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Malayla is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Malayla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Malayla 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.