Given name
Malinda
“one who is sweet and gentle”
In English use, Malinda has a related form in Melinda. One Latin interpretation is “one who is sweet and gentle.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Malinda has a related form in Melinda. One Latin interpretation is “one who is sweet and gentle.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Malinda has a related form in Melinda. An origin associated with Melinda is Latin.
Explained through its name family
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
Malinda through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 21,464
- 0 boys · 21,464 girls
- Most popular year
- 1969
- 460 babies
- 2025
- 59
- #2,881 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −5%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 59 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,881 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 4.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 460 in 1969. In 2025, Pennsylvania had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (18). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 14,520 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.
Malinda’s family of names
In English usage, Malinda has a related form in Melinda.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Malinda
- Mindy McCreadyAmerican country music singer (1975–2013)
- Malinda WilliamsAmerican actressborn 1975
- Malinda LoAmerican writer of young adult novels (1974-)
- Malinda PushpakumaraSri Lankan cricketerborn 1987
- Malinda WarnapuraSri Lankan cricketerborn 1979
- Malinda CramerAmerican writer1844–1906
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Malinda, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Marni
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Marlena
Marlena is a feminine given name. It is used in English, Polish, Catalan, and Faroese.
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Alisa
“noble” · “kind”
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Anissa
“one who is affectionate and friendly”
>99% girls
Marcy
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% girls