Holding steady, #10,107 for girls today.
Popularity of Malai since 2005
Babies named Malai per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 2000s | 66 |
| 2010s | 82 |
| 2020s | 57 |
Meaning & origin
Malai first appeared in U.S. records in 2005, and its popularity has remained stable since then. While it remains very rare (rank 10,107 with a 1-in-178,585 occurrence rate), its peak year so far was 2020, indicating slight but consistent interest. The name is most likely inspired by the Thai word for jasmine, a flower highly valued in Thai culture for its fragrance and symbolic meanings of purity and grace. As a name, it has not broken into mainstream use, retaining an exotic and culturally specific appeal.
Malai is a Thai name derived from the word for jasmine, a fragrant flower widely used in Thai culture. It is occasionally used as a given name for girls, especially in Thailand and countries with Thai diaspora communities.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mai, Lai
Sibling names for Malai
Names that share Malai's style, for a brother or sister.
