Mahala as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Mahala

What is the meaning of the name Mahala ?

The baby name Mahala is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /məˈheɪlə/ (muh-HAY-luh),/məˈhɑːlə/ (muh-HAH-luh).

Mahala is Hebrew in Origin.

Mahala is a feminine name traced to the Hebrew Bible as a form of Mahlah (Machlah), one of Zelophehad’s daughters who petitioned for inheritance (Numbers 27). The meaning is debated: many scholars connect it to the Hebrew root chalah “to be weak/ill,” yielding “sickness,” while modern sources sometimes prefer gentler readings like “tenderness” or link it to machal “to forgive.”

In English usage Mahala appears from the 17th to 19th centuries - especially in colonial America and on the frontier - and faded by the early 1900s, now a rare vintage choice. Variants include Mahlah, Mahalah, Mahla, and the distinct Biblical name Mahalath; the phonetic cousin Mahalia is better known via gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. Note that mahala also means “neighborhood” in some Balkan languages (from Turkish/Arabic mahalla), a separate, non‑given‑name origin.