How to say it
ma · LIK
/məˈliːk/
Masculine
Malik
King, sovereign
What it means
Arabic, 'king' or 'sovereign'; al-Malik, 'the King,' is one of the names of God in Islam.
Malik is Arabic for 'king' or 'sovereign,' and al-Malik, 'the King,' is one of the ninety-nine names of God in Islam, which gives it deep reverence. It is honored across the Muslim world and widely used in Black American families. Singer Zayn Malik carries it as a surname. It reads regal and strong, said mah-LEEK. Mal is the short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #97 in 1996, currently #437 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
- Worth knowing
Means 'king'; al-Malik is one of the names of God in Islam. Common across Muslim and Black American communities.
- Pronunciation
mah-LEEK.
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.
- Malik Arabic for 'king'; al-Malik is one of the 99 names of God in Islam
Spelling variants
- Maleek
- Malek
- Maalik
Names with the same feeling
See Malik from another angle
By meaning
By style