Malvena
A feminine name with disputed meaning, possibly relating to the mallow flower or from Germanic origins.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Malvena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Malvena today is around 92 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Malvena births was 1946 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Malvena. 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
- • The typical person named Malvena is about 92 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Malvenas were born before 1944.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Malvena. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1946
8 babies that year
Average age
92
years old
1946 SSA rank
#3,856
Tracked since 1902
Popularity
Malvena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Malvena from the 1900s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 17 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Malvena remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Malvena 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 Malvena 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 Malvena
The name Malvena is a feminine given name with origins that can be traced back to the Latin language. It is derived from the word "malva," which means "mallow," a type of flowering plant. The name likely originated in regions where Latin was spoken, such as ancient Rome and its territories.
In ancient Roman times, the mallow plant was highly valued for its medicinal properties and was often associated with fertility and abundance. It is possible that the name Malvena was initially bestowed upon babies with the hope of invoking these qualities or as a symbol of prosperity.
While there are no significant historical records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is believed to have been in use since the early days of the Roman Empire. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Malvena was a Roman noblewoman who lived in the 2nd century AD.
Throughout history, the name Malvena has been borne by several notable individuals, including:
1. Malvena Fontana (1552-1609), an Italian painter and printmaker known for her religious artworks and portraits.
2. Malvena Culea (1884-1962), a Romanian poet and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and educational reform.
3. Malvena Lorenzini (1901-1980), an Italian stage and film actress who appeared in numerous productions during the 1930s and 1940s.
4. Malvena Cunningham (1905-1976), an American nurse and philanthropist who established several healthcare facilities in her hometown of Vincennes, Indiana.
5. Malvena Selezneva (1923-2008), a Soviet and Russian actress known for her roles in various theater productions and films during the mid-20th century.
While the name Malvena may not be as widely used today as it once was, its unique botanical origins and historical associations have contributed to its enduring charm and appeal.
People
Malvena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Malvena 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
Malvena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Malvena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Malvena 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Malvena a common name?
We classify Malvena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 44 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Malvena most popular?
The single biggest year for Malvena was 1946, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Malvena is about 92 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 Malvena in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Malvena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Malvena 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.
Is Malvena still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Malvena 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 Malvena 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 Malvena as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.