Malia

Updated: October 25, 2021 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Malia is the Hawaiian form of the Latin name Maria. The name Malia is probably best known as the name of the daughter of former U.S. president Barack Obama. Malia is a refreshing change from more traditional names Maria and Mary.

Meaning of the name Malia:

Hawaiian: rebelliousness, sea of bitterness, wished for child, beloved

Origin of the name Malia:

Malia is a Hawaiian name that has one of many meanings including “rebelliousness”, “sea of bitterness”, “wished for child”, and “beloved”. Malia comes from the Latin name Maria which in turn derives from the Hebrew name Mary.

Symbolism of the name Malia:

Malia is associated with imagery of the sea with churning waves and the push and pull of the tides. The sea is associated with strong, deep emotions often lurking just out of sight.

Style of the name Malia:

modern

Gender of the name Malia:

Malia is a girl's name.

Pronunciation of the name Malia:

ma-LEE-a

Number of syllables in the name Malia:

three

Emotion evoked from the name Malia:

Malia evokes feelings of creativity and adventure.

Alternative spellings for the name Malia:

Malya, Melia, Maliah

Nicknames for the name Malia:

Mal
Mel
Melly
Li
Lia

Popularity of the name Malia:

According to the Social Security Administration, despite sporadic appearances on the top 100 lists since 1977 Malia has been steadily rising in popularity since 1994. Malia peaked in popularity in 2017 at #216.