Given name
Mahalia
“one who is tender”
Mahalia is used as a given name. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is tender.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hebrew interpretation is “one who is tender.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Mahalia through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,370
- 0 boys · 2,370 girls
- Most popular year
- 2020
- 65 babies
- 2025
- 53
- #3,088 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +12%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 53 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,088 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 11.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,709 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Mahalia’s family of names
Mahalia has a related form in Mahala. Mahalia has a related form in Mahala. Mahalia has a related form in Mahalie.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Mahalavariant
- Mahalievariant
- Mahaliahvariant
- Mahalivariant
- Mahalahvariant
- Mahallialikely variant
- Mahaleavariant
- Mehaliavariant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Mahalia
- Mahalia JacksonAmerican gospel singer (1911–1972)
- Mahalia BarnesAustralian singer-songwriterborn 1982
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Mahalia, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Azaliah
“Yah has set aside” · “Yah has reserved”
>99% girls
Adalia
>99% girls
Adaiah
“Yahweh has adorned” · “ornament of the Lord”
16% boys · 84% girls
Asherah
“progression” · “happiness”
>99% girls
Anaiah
“Yah has answered” · “afflicted of Yah”
>99% girls
Aiah
“falcon”
>99% girls
Josephina
“God will add”
>99% girls
Azalea
“of the dry earth; resembling the flower” · “one who is spared by God”
>99% girls