Malicai
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "my messenger" or "messenger of God".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Malicai. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Malicai today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Malicai births was 2016 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Malicai. 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 Malicai. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2016
6 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2016 SSA rank
#11,622
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Malicai: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Malicai 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
Malicai 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 Malicai 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 Malicai
The name Malicai is a unique and intriguing one, with roots that can be traced back to various cultures and time periods. Its origins are believed to lie in the ancient Hebrew language, where it is thought to be a variation of the name Malachi, derived from the Hebrew word "mal'akh," meaning "messenger" or "angel." This connection to the divine realm lends the name a sense of reverence and spiritual significance.
In biblical times, the name Malachi was borne by one of the twelve minor prophets in the Old Testament, whose prophecies are recorded in the Book of Malachi. This association with a revered figure in Judeo-Christian tradition has contributed to the enduring popularity of the name and its variants throughout the centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Malicai can be found in the writings of the 12th-century Jewish philosopher and scholar, Moses Maimonides. In his seminal work, the "Mishneh Torah," Maimonides mentions a certain Malicai ben Yosef, who was a renowned scholar and teacher in his own right.
During the Middle Ages, the name Malicai gained popularity among Jewish communities across Europe and the Middle East. Notable figures from this period include Malicai ben Shlomo, a 13th-century rabbi and philosopher from Spain, and Malicai ben Avraham, a 14th-century scholar and mystic from Italy.
As the name spread beyond its Hebrew roots, it underwent various adaptations and transformations. In the 16th century, the Dutch painter and engraver, Malicai van der Bosch, gained recognition for his intricate and imaginative works, which often depicted scenes from biblical stories and allegories.
In more recent times, the name Malicai has been carried by several distinguished individuals, such as Malicai Culbertson, an American politician and judge who served as a member of the Indiana Senate in the late 19th century, and Malicai Kambwili, a Zambian politician and former minister who has been influential in shaping the country's political landscape.
While the name Malicai may not be as common as some other names, its rich history and cultural significance have endured through the ages, making it a unique and meaningful choice for parents seeking a name with depth and character.
People
Malicai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Malicai 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
Malicai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Malicai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Malicai 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 Malicai a common name?
We classify Malicai 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 Malicai most popular?
The single biggest year for Malicai was 2016, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Malicai is about 14 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 Malicai in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Malicai a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Malicai 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 Malicai still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Malicai 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 Malicai 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 Malicai?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.