Mali is a distinctive choice, ranked #383 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Mali in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#383
About the Name Mali
Mali is holding steady in the rankings at #383. It reached its peak of #360 in 2022 and has maintained consistent levels since — the hallmark of a name with lasting rather than trend-driven appeal. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Mali is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Mali
Unlikely. With around 113 UK babies named Mali per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Mali in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Mali has held a stable position around #383 for several years. It reached its recorded peak of #360 in 2022 and has maintained consistent levels since — suggesting lasting rather than trend-driven appeal.
Mali is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Mali include: Mali Hingano — Malietoa Seuli Hingano also known as Malietoa Hingano is an Australian born Tongan rugby union player who generally plays as a centre represents Tonga...; Mali Richards — Mali Alexander Richards is a West Indian cricketer who played first-class cricket for the Leeward Islands.; Siniša Mali — Siniša Mali is a Serbian economist and politician serving as first deputy prime minister of Serbia since 2024 and as minister of finance since 2018..
Mali does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Malis in the wild.
113
UK babies named Mali (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 18 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Mali
Likely around 1 other Mali in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Mali
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Malietoa Seuli Hingano also known as Malietoa Hingano is an Australian born Tongan rugby union player who generally plays as a centre represents Tonga internationally and currently plays for French club Aviron Bayonnais. He was included in the Tongan squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup which was held in Japan for the first time and also marks his first World Cup appearance.
Siniša Mali is a Serbian economist and politician serving as first deputy prime minister of Serbia since 2024 and as minister of finance since 2018. A member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he previously served as mayor of Belgrade from 2014 to 2018, and as the president of the Temporary Council of Belgrade from 2013 to 2014.
The Mali Federation (Arabic: اتحاد مالي) was a federation in West Africa linking the French colonies of Senegal and the Sudanese Republic (or French Sudan) for two months in 1960. It was founded on 4 April 1959 as a territory with self-rule within the French Community and became independent after negotiations with France on 20 June 1960.
The Mali War is an ongoing conflict that began on 16 January 2012 with a Tuareg rebellion in northern Mali. The rebels included the secular-oriented National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), a group fighting for independence or greater autonomy of a region they called Azawad.