How to say it
ma · LI · a
/məˈliː.ə/
Feminine
Malia
Hawaiian Mary
What it means
The Hawaiian form of Mary or Maria, also linked to a sense of calm.
Malia is the Hawaiian form of Mary, taking the ancient Miriam root and giving it an island lilt. It carries a gentle, calm feel and flows beautifully. It rose sharply on the US mainland during the Obama presidency, thanks to Malia Obama, the former president's elder daughter. It keeps company with Maya, Amaya, and the Hawaiian Leilani. Said ma-LEE-a.
Popularity over time
peaked at #192 in 2009, currently #349 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Malia Obama drove the name's mainland rise.
- Spelling
The Hawaiian form of Mary; Maliyah and Maliah are phonetic respellings.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Malia Obama elder daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama
Spelling variants
- Maliyah
- Maliah
- Malea