Malakai

Malakai - A very unique male name

Malakai appeared on the charts for the first time in 1998 on position #2814. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Malakai and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Malakai? 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 Malakai. The baby boy name Malakai was given to 1,633 baby boys in 2025, ranking #215 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 898 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Malakai peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 215.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Malakai, 1-5?

Malakai is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Malakai is currently topping the baby name charts in Hawaii at position #22 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #593.

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 Malakai is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Malakai origin and meaning

Modern respelling of Malachi, from Hebrew

"My messenger" or "my angel," from Hebrew Mal'akhi

Malakai is a respelling of Malachi, the Old Testament prophet whose name closes the prophetic books. This spelling first appeared in American data in 1998 and reached its highest point yet in 2025, as parents chose the -kai ending's fresher look and sound.

Attested etymology

Malakai is a 7 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Malakai

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

Miles / Malachi / Myles / Malik / Malaki / Malakhi / Malek / Melissa / Malique / Malikai /

---

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 Malakai

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 Malakai 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 Malakai?

3 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.

---

Pronunciation

MAL-uh-ky · /ˈmæləkaɪ/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Malachi — The original biblical spelling
• Malaki — A simplified spelling
• Malachai — An elaborated spelling variant

Nicknames: KaiMal

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 1998, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

Biblical

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Malakai for a biblical name with a contemporary edge — ancient roots, but the spelling and the Kai ending feel current.

Worth knowing

• It will often be spelled Malachi by default, so the -kai spelling needs stating.
• It is sometimes confused with Malachi pronounced differently; the two are the same name.