Given name & surname
Malik
“the sovereign”
Malik is used as a given name and a surname. One Arabic interpretation is “the sovereign.”
Original Arabicمَلِك
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Arabic interpretation is “the sovereign.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1949. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Malik through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 49,866
- 49,607 boys · 259 girls
- Most popular year
- 1996
- 4,050 babies
- 2025
- 724
- #437 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −9%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 724 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 437 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 9.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,026 in 1996. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (76). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 37,659 as a first name in 2020; 18,478 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Malik’s family of names
Malik has a related form in Malek. Malik has a related form in Malique. Malik has a related form in Maleek.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Malik has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its Arabic roots to each of them.
Arabicwhere Malik comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 22
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Malik
- Malik ibn AnasArab Islamic jurist, theologian and hadith traditionist (711–795)
- Malik-Shah IDuring his rule as the Sultan of the Seljuk Empire from 1072 to 1092, Sultan Malik-Shah I played a crucial role in the history of medieval Islam.1055–1092
- Malik TillmanGerman-American soccer playerborn 2002
- Malik BendjelloulSwedish film and documentary director (1977-2014)
- Malik HarrisGerman singerborn 1997
- Firoz Khan Noon7th Prime Minister of Pakistan (1893–1970)
- Malik-Shah IIThe temporary ruler of the Seljuk Empire (1105)1099–1105
- Malik BeasleyAmerican basketball player (born 1996)
- Malik AmbarIndian warrior (1548-1626)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Malik, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“more commendable” · “most praiseworthy”
>99% boys
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“a handsome man”
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Tawfik is a surname from Arabic.
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Aqil
Aqil is a masculine given name from Arabic.
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“a beloved companion”
99% boys · 1% girls
Rahmi
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>99% boys
Omar
“a flourishing man; one who is well-spoken”
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Abed
“servant, worshipper”
>99% boys