Malik

مَالِك

Boy Arabic /MAH-lik/ #383 in 2023

Malik is a boy name of Arabic origin.

Meaning of Malik

"King, sovereign, owner." Al-Mālik is one of the 99 Names of Allah. Also the name of Imam Malik ibn Anas, founder of the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence (dominant in North Africa).

Arabic root: m-l-k — (م-ل-ك, possession, kingship)

Regional variants

Extremely well-integrated into African-American naming traditions since the 1960s — strong enough that many US Maliks are not Muslim. A true crossover name.

Popularity of Malik

Popularity, 1949–2023

834 births in 2023

1949 2023

48,131 U.S. births recorded from 1949–2023.

Peak year

1996

4,026 babies

First recorded

1949

74 years of history

Recent trend

Steady

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Variants & nicknames

MalekMalickMaleek

Related guide

Arabic Names That Work in English Without Explanation

25 Arabic names that American teachers, doctors, and neighbors pronounce correctly on the first try. For families who want heritage without the daily spelling bee.

Read the full guide →

Famous people named Malik

Imam Malik ibn Anas
Malik Monk (NBA player)
Zayn Malik (singer)

Similar names

Michael

Boy · Hebrew

Who is like God? A rhetorical name honoring the archangel

Mary

Girl · Hebrew

Bitter; beloved; wished-for child

Matthew

Boy · Hebrew

One of the twelve Apostles

Jennifer

Girl · Arabic

Jennifer, also spelled Jenifer or Jenefer, is a feminine given name, the Cornish form of Guinevere, that became popular in the English-speaking world in the 20th century

Mark

Boy · Latin

Also called John Mark, the first patriarch of Alexandria, credited with the authorship of the Gospel of Mark

Margaret

Girl · Ancient Greek

A river in southwestern Western Australia, presumed named for a cousin of John Garrett Bussell, founder of Busselton

Jessica

Girl · Arabic

Jessica is a female given name of English origin

Sandra

Girl · Arabic

Alexandra is a feminine form of the male name Alexander, which is a romanization of the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.