Fun Facts About the Name Malachite
- 89 babies named Malachite: U.S. records list 89 babies given the name Malachite from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Malachite Mean?
Malachite is a mineral word used as a name, and its meaning comes from the plant it was compared to. The Greek term was malachitēs (μαλαχίτης), a stone named after malachē (μαλάχη), the mallow plant. The ending -itēs means "of" or "belonging to," so the word means roughly "mallow stone" or "mallow-colored stone." The green of the mineral was likened to mallow leaves.
Ancient Greek also had molochē (μολόχη), a variant word for mallow, and Latin took the stone name over as molochites, the form used by Pliny the Elder. English malachite descends from these Greek and Latin forms, which vary between malach- and moloch-.
The name carries no separate etymological meaning beyond the mineral: it names a copper carbonate ore, not a person, plant, or place of its own.
Malachite Name History & Origins
The Greek stone name appears in ancient writing about minerals and pigments. Pliny the Elder, in the first century, described a green stone he called molochitis, which is generally identified with malachite, though that identification is not certain. Malachite itself was known in the ancient world as an ornamental stone, a green pigment, and an ore of copper.
The English word came into the language by way of Latin and later French forms of the Greek term. It entered English as the name of the mineral, not as a personal name, and belongs to the group of words borrowed directly from the names of stones and gems.
As a personal name, Malachite is rare. It appears occasionally in English-speaking countries in the manner of other modern names taken from minerals and gemstones, rather than from an older naming tradition. Its use as a given name keeps the mineral's meaning rather than developing a distinct one.
The similar-sounding Hebrew name Malachi is unrelated. It comes from mal'akh, "messenger," and the resemblance to the mineral word is coincidental.
How Popular is the Name Malachite?
Malachite has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2023. Its best rank was #4,293 in 2023.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,051 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #7,073 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2023 | #4,293 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 2022 | #6,697 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #7,936 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #10,196 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #13,385 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #13,522 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Malachite
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with M
How the Name Malachite Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Malachite's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Malachite's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.