Given name & surname
Malu
“a peaceful woman”
Malu is used as a given name and a surname. One Hawaiian interpretation is “a peaceful woman.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hawaiian interpretation is “a peaceful woman.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hawaiian.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1995. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Malu through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 263
- 5 boys · 258 girls
- Most popular year
- 2020
- 28 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #9,251 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 9,251 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 9.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 442 as a first name in 2020; 253 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.
People named Malu
- Malu DreyerGerman politicianborn 1961
- Malú TrevejoCuban-American dancer and singer-songwriterborn 2002
- Malu MaderBrazilian actressborn 1966
- Malu RochaBrazilian actress1946–2013
- Malu RodriguesBrazilian actressborn 1993
- Malu GalliBrazilian actressborn 1971
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Malu, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Mahina
“daughter of the moonlight”
>99% girls
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“caress” · “sky”
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Maylea
“resembling a wildflower”
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Hanalei
“Bay” · “lei, necklace”
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Kahealani
“the” · “mist; to call, name”
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Nohea
“handsome, pretty”
14% boys · 86% girls
Healani
“mist” · “sky”
>99% girls
Lilinoe
“mists”
>99% girls