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Malu as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Malu

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The baby name Malu is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced Hawaiian: /ˈmɑlu/ (MAH-loo),Portuguese/Spanish: /maˈlu/ (mah-LOO),English common: /ˈmɑːlu/ or /məˈlu/ (MAH-loo or mah-LOO).

Malu is Brazilian, Hawaiian, Polynesian, Portuguese in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Brazilian, Hawaiian, Polynesian, Portuguese
Pronunciation: Hawaiian: /ˈmɑlu/ (MAH-loo),Portuguese/Spanish: /maˈlu/ (mah-LOO),English common: /ˈmɑːlu/ or /məˈlu/ (MAH-loo or mah-LOO)

What is the meaning of the name Malu ?

The baby name Malu is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced Hawaiian: /ˈmɑlu/ (MAH-loo),Portuguese/Spanish: /maˈlu/ (mah-LOO),English common: /ˈmɑːlu/ or /məˈlu/ (MAH-loo or mah-LOO).

Malu is Brazilian, Hawaiian, Polynesian, Portuguese in Origin.

Malu is a cross-cultural name with Polynesian roots. In Hawaiian and Samoan, malu conveys shelter, protection, peace, or shade, lending a calm, safeguarded aura and used for all genders. In Samoa, malu also names a women’s ceremonial thigh tattoo symbolizing dignity and protection, deepening its cultural resonance. As a given name it appears across the Pacific in the 20th century and has since traveled for its soft, breezy sound.

In Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries, Malu (often Malú) is a clipped blend of Maria with Luísa/Luiza, Lúcia/Luz, or de Lourdes, and now also stands alone; Brazilian and Spanish public figures helped popularize it. Variants and related forms include Malú (accented Iberian spelling) and the Hawaiian elaboration Maluhia, meaning peace. Core meanings center on protection, peace, and shelter, while the Iberian hypocoristic carries affectionate compound-name associations.

Malu has the following similar or variant Names

Malu – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2021 #1 — 897
AO 0 #76 2 2,729
JP 0 #76 2 4,057
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
GE Girls 0 #106 3 1,564
PH 0 #106 5 5,607
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
Switzerland Girls 2024 #133 3 1,786
PA 0 #135 4 3,797
MU 0 #137 1 3,613
MT Girls 0 #151 3 3,773
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
UY 0 #181 2 2,477
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
AR 0 #191 3 2,915
AO Girls 0 #199 11 4,575
EC Girls 0 #222 18 3,650
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
GR Girls 0 #244 6 6,293
AO Boys 0 #245 5 5,568
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
JP Girls 0 #246 6 6,592
PT 0 #246 5 4,161
NA Boys 0 #253 1 6,830
MO Girls 0 #262 2 7,056
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
PE 0 #275 36 6,350
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
TW Girls 0 #288 2 8,139
BR 0 #290 56 5,969
HR Girls 0 #293 2 3,687
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
QA Girls 0 #301 16 15,378
SA 0 #311 2 10,560
DK Girls 0 #324 6 7,429
OM Girls 0 #330 67 15,987
KZ Girls 0 #331 2 5,862
GT 0 #336 3 5,948
JO Girls 0 #338 2 7,570
CZ Girls 0 #348 4 5,378
MY 0 #354 1 12,352
SD Girls 0 #354 5 7,678
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
MU Girls 0 #358 5 8,539
PH Girls 0 #358 33 13,098
CN Girls 0 #359 1 8,829
MX 0 #359 55 8,339
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
BO 0 #367 15 6,868
BR Girls 0 #379 978 12,708
PT Boys 0 #380 2 7,951
NL 0 #382 10 2,481
CL 0 #395 17 6,867
PT Girls 0 #396 56 7,952
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
Austria Girls 0 #409 12 1,885
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
France Girls 2014 #415 3 3,259
PE Girls 0 #417 825 14,861
Spain 0 #424 29 2,326
CO 0 #430 51 7,768
MX Girls 0 #456 1,421 17,781
PA Girls 0 #456 26 9,861
SD Boys 0 #464 3 10,523
ZA 0 #472 3 14,421
GT Girls 0 #475 31 7,500
AR Boys 0 #479 5 7,628
KW Girls 0 #481 35 19,177
UY Girls 0 #484 27 6,731
AE Girls 0 #501 53 20,968
PA Boys 0 #503 3 9,305
BO Girls 0 #504 108 9,488
AR Girls 0 #519 81 8,289
RU Girls 0 #520 4 11,913
CR Girls 0 #521 12 11,342
IQ Girls 0 #524 2 11,303
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
CO Girls 0 #529 810 16,140
BH 0 #534 20 17,937
IR Girls 0 #544 2 8,334
PS Girls 0 #544 4 10,981
CM Girls 0 #556 5 11,671
HK Boys 0 #556 2 12,905
LY 0 #558 2 12,703
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
SG Girls 0 #573 14 18,916
CM Boys 0 #574 2 12,054
IN Girls 0 #596 36 13,121
BD Boys 0 #599 7 10,045
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
IL Girls 0 #643 3 11,648
HK Girls 0 #644 7 16,104
Spain Girls 0 #647 363 5,561
CL Girls 0 #675 177 14,098
LB 0 #686 5 13,263
CL Boys 0 #695 6 13,390
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
IT 0 #698 17 4,183
BR Boys 0 #734 18 12,213
QA Boys 0 #736 8 18,093
SG Boys 0 #738 2 17,960
KW Boys 0 #753 17 18,755
Germany Girls 0 #785 54 4,949
NG Girls 0 #821 6 15,093
SA Girls 0 #844 92 25,931
OM Boys 0 #857 25 17,948
PE Boys 0 #859 20 14,506
TN 0 #862 4 13,765
NL Girls 0 #872 84 5,933
United States Girls 2024 #892 25 8,487
CO Boys 0 #894 27 15,656
United States Boys 2020 #894 5 7,187
Spain Boys 0 #921 10 5,610
Germany Boys 0 #939 14 5,697
NG Boys 0 #939 13 16,906
IN Boys 0 #941 61 16,750
MX Boys 0 #951 32 16,355
MY Girls 0 #985 10 24,821
AE Boys 0 #1,073 20 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,097 15 25,439
ZA Girls 0 #1,106 36 25,928
MA 0 #1,107 22 20,986
ZA Boys 0 #1,149 30 25,619
DZ 0 #1,164 13 20,130
IT Girls 0 #1,235 212 9,415
TR 0 #1,250 5 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,442 30 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,552 63 28,008

Malu is popular in 68 countries — most recent births per country:

Switzerland
United States
France
Ireland
AE

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People also ask about Malu

Malu is predominantly a girl's name.
Malu is a 2 syllable name, pronounced Hawaiian: /ˈmɑlu/ (MAH-loo),Portuguese/Spanish: /maˈlu/ (mah-LOO),English common: /ˈmɑːlu/ or /məˈlu/ (MAH-loo or mah-LOO).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Mālū (with macrons), Malú (accented), Malou, Marilou, Marilu and Maria Luísa.
Across languages, Malu has these equivalents: Malou (European diminutive of Marie‑Louise), Marilou / Marilu (contractions of Marie‑Louise), Maria Luísa / Maria Luiza (full forms), Alexandra / Sandra (different origin but similar 'defender/protector' sense).
Yes, very popular — Malu ranked #1 in Ireland in 2021, and appears in official birth registries across 4 countries.
Malu ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2021).
Malu's popularity is rising. It moved from #137 in 2014 to #133 in 2024 in Switzerland.