Likely a variant of Malia, meaning bitter or calm sea
Maleaha is a modern phonetic spelling variant of the Hawaiian name Malia, which is the equivalent of Mary. Depending on the etymological root, it can carry the traditional meaning of 'bitter' or 'rebellious' from the Hebrew 'marah', or the Hawaiian interpretation of 'calm and peaceful'. Its usage in the US is often influenced by a desire for a unique, multi-syllabic feminine sound.
Less common today
Maleaha isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #7,869 in 2009.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
