Machlah as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Machlah

What is the meaning of the name Machlah ?

The baby name Machlah is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced mah-KH-lah (Hebrew: /maχˈla/); English approximation: MAH-lah (/ˈmɑːlə/).

Machlah is Hebrew in Origin.

Machlah is a feminine Hebrew name (Hebrew: מחלה), attested in the Tanakh. It appears chiefly as one of the five daughters of Zelophehad who petitioned Moses for inheritance rights (Numbers 27; 36; Joshua 17), a story that made the name emblematic of legal fairness and female agency in ancient Israel. A second biblical bearer is listed in 1 Chronicles 7:18. Pronunciations vary by tradition: MAHK-lah or MAH-lah.

Derived from the Semitic root ch-l-h “to be weak/ill,” Machlah is commonly glossed “sickness” or “frailty”; the somber etymology is often softened by the empowering narrative. Common variants reflect transliteration choices: Mahlah (standard English Bible), Machla/Makhla, and Mahla in modern Hebrew; related but distinct is Mahalath, a separate biblical name. Usage today is rare but occurs in Jewish and some Christian communities, with spellings favoring Mahlah in English and Mahla in Israel.

⚙ Machlah does not appear in any of the birth registries or name datasets we track. This usually means it's either extremely rare, a regional/traditional name not captured by official statistics, or a brand-new coinage. Use it knowing your child will almost certainly be the only one in the room.