Mahlon

Mahlon - A very unique male name

Mahlon appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #630. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Mahlon and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Mahlon? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Mahlon. The baby boy name Mahlon was given to 20 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2442 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 73,314 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Mahlon peaked in popularity 115 years ago in 1911 on position 630.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Mahlon, 1-5?

Mahlon is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Mahlon is currently topping the baby name charts in Pennsylvania at position #822 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,939.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Mahlon is where you live.

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Mahlon origin and meaning

Hebrew, biblical

Uncertain — a biblical Hebrew name (Mahalon); proposed meanings such as 'sickness' or 'weakness' rest on a disputed root

Mahlon appears in the Book of Ruth as Ruth's first husband, son of Elimelech and Naomi. The Hebrew name's derivation has never been settled, and the unflattering glosses sometimes quoted for it are guesses from a possible root. In America it has had a long, thin history since 1911, never rising above a few dozen births a year.

Origin uncertain

Mahlon is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Mahlon, pop culture references for the name Mahlon and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Mahlon

We've found the following names that sound similar to Mahlon, sorted by popularity.

Milan / Mylan / Miliano / Milano / Million / Milam / Melanie / Millan / Millen /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Mahlon

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Mahlon a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Mahlon?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

MAH-lon · /ˈmɑːlən/
Also heard as MAY-lon.

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Mahalon — The fuller biblical form

Famous bearers

• Mahlon — Husband of Ruth in the biblical Book of Ruth (Biblical) Historical

Style

Biblical

Why parents choose it

Mahlon is a deep-cut biblical choice — genuinely ancient, genuinely rare, and softer in sound than most Old Testament names.

Worth knowing

• Almost nobody will know how to spell or pronounce it on first meeting
• Its biblical bearer dies early in Ruth's story