A 1880s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Mal since 1880
Babies named Mal per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1950, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Mal's real moment was 1880.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 12 |
| 1890s | 0 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 30 |
| 1920s | 16 |
| 1930s | 42 |
| 1940s | 69 |
| 1950s | 84 |
| 1960s | 39 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 12 |
| 2020s | 34 |
Meaning & origin
Mal is an exceptionally rare given name in the United States. First recorded in Social Security data in 1880, its peak year, the name has never been common. In 2023, it ranked 8,910th and was given to roughly 1 in 213,510 male newborns. Since 2017, however, the name has been on a rising trajectory, suggesting a modest revival as parents rediscover short, punchy names. Mal is almost always a nickname for longer classics like Malcolm or Malachi, and its use as a standalone remains uncommon. No state has recorded enough instances to rank among its top names, reinforcing its rarity. The name's trajectory since the 1880s reflects a long period of obscurity followed by a recent uptick, perhaps driven by modern tastes for short, standalone names.
Mal is primarily a diminutive or short form of names such as Malcolm (Scottish, meaning 'disciple of Saint Columba'), Malachi (Hebrew, meaning 'my messenger'), and Malvin (English, meaning 'chief' or 'counsel'). As an independent name, it gained modest use in the 19th and 20th centuries. In modern times, it is rarely given as a standalone name, though it retains a familiar, brisk quality.
Sibling names for Mal
Names that share Mal's style, for a brother or sister.
