Malaysia
Malaysia was the 958th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 269 babies. Its best year was 2014, when it ranked 397th with 824 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 522 places. More babies were named Malaysia in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning land of the Malays (country name) · English, Malay
Say it muh-LAY-zhuh /məˈleɪʒə/
- Rank in 2025
- #958 girls, down 334 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 269girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2014824 babies
- Total since 1880
- 11,031babies recorded
What does the name Malaysia mean?
Malaysia is the name of the Southeast Asian country, used as an American girls' name since 1987. Wiktionary explains the word as Malay plus -sia, a form of the Latin place ending -ia, coined by British geographers in the 19th century for the Malay Archipelago; Malay comes from Malay Melayu. Our sources do not explain the meaning of Melayu itself.
Melayu (Malay, “Malay (people)”)-ia (Latin, “place-name ending”)
How sure is this? Probable. The country-name formation is clear; the origin of Melayu is not covered.
See also: English names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Malaysia' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Malaysia' (Malay section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Malaysia popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #958 | 269 |
| 2020 | #624 | 466 |
| 2010 | #1,112 | 222 |
| 2000 | #1,005 | 211 |
| 1990 | #3,774 | 28 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Malaysia, counting every spelling?
Malaysia is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #905 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #958 for Malaysia on its own. Together these spellings went to 275 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | 269 | #958 | 1,921 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Malaysia?
269 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Malaysia (0.07 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Malaysia born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 31 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Malaysia.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Malaysia?
About 10,900 people born in the US named Malaysia are alive today, with a median age of 11; half are between 7 and 17. That makes Malaysia a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Malaysia by state
How common Malaysia was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Mississippi (9.1×), Louisiana (4.0×), Alabama (3.6×), Georgia (3.4×), South Carolina (2.5×). In 23 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Malaysia: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Malaysia, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Malaysia · Sibling names for Malaysia
Questions about the name Malaysia
What does Malaysia mean?
Malaysia means “land of the Malays (country name)” (English, Malay origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Malaysia?
Malaysia was the 958th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 269 babies. Its best year was 2014, when it ranked 397th with 824 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 522 places. More babies were named Malaysia in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Malaysia a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Malaysia in the US.
Where is Malaysia most popular?
In 2021–2025, Malaysia was most common in Mississippi (2.16 per 1,000 girls), followed by Louisiana and Alabama.