Malcolm is a distinctive choice, ranked #1162 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Malcolm in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#1162
US Rank #314
About the Name Malcolm
Malcolm has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 200 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #472 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Malcolm is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #314, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Malcolm
Unlikely. With around 24 UK babies named Malcolm per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Malcolm in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Malcolm has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 200 places in the last five years. Its peak was #472 in 1996. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Malcolm is more popular in the US (#314) than in the UK (#1162). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Malcolm include: Malcolm Walker (businessman) — Sir Malcolm Conrad Walker is an English businessman who is the founder of Iceland Foods Ltd.; Malcolm Turnbull — Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian former politician, businessman and barrister who served as the 29th prime minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018.; Malcolm McDowell — Malcolm McDowell is an English actor..
Malcolm appears in the US top 500 at #314 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
24
UK babies named Malcolm (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 200 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Malcolm
Likely around 1 other Malcolm in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Malcolm
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Malcolm Hooper Kerr was a Lebanese-born American university professor specializing in the Middle East and the Arab world. He served as president of the American University of Beirut from 1982 until he was assassinated by gunmen in 1984.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was an American actor, musician and poet. He rose to prominence for his role as Theodore Huxtable on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian former politician, businessman and barrister who served as the 29th prime minister of Australia from 2015 to 2018. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party from 2008 to 2009 and again from 2015 to 2018, and was the member of parliament (MP) for the New South Wales division of Wentworth from 2004 to 2018.
Malcolm McDowell is an English actor. He first became known for portraying Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's if...., a role he later reprised in O Lucky Man!
Malcolm X was an African American revolutionary and Black nationalist leader who rose from a background of poverty, family disruption, and criminal activity to a prominent figure during the civil rights movement until his assassination in 1965. He discovered the religious organization the Nation of Islam while in prison and served as its spokesperson from 1952 until 1964.
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English fashion designer, entrepreneur and music manager. He was a promoter and a manager for punk rock and new wave bands such as New York Dolls, Sex Pistols, Adam and the Ants, and Bow Wow Wow, and was an early influencer of the punk subculture.