Milka Name Meaning & Historical Trends

Milka

Pronunciation: MEEL-kuh

Meaning Gracious, dear; queen Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#12,753
TREND
232

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Milka in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Milka

  • 516 babies named Milka: U.S. records list 516 babies given the name Milka from 1880 through 2025.

What Does the Name Milka Mean?

Milka is a feminine given name of Slavic origin meaning "dear" or "gracious." It comes from the Slavic root mil-, whose basic sense is "dear, beloved"; "gracious" is a customary English gloss. The same element appears in names such as Milena, Milica, and Miloslava, where Milka often serves as a short form.

A separate Hebrew name, Milcah (מִלְכָּה), is sometimes written Milka in other languages. It is traditionally explained as "queen," from a form related to Hebrew malkah ("queen"), though the etymology is not fully certain. This Hebrew name is not the source of the Slavic Milka.

Milka Name History & Origins

Milka belongs to a large family of Slavic names built on the element mil-. In South Slavic usage, the suffix -ka forms an affectionate or diminutive name, so Milka can stand on its own as a given name or serve as a pet form of Milica, Milena, or Miloslava. It is traditional in Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia, and it shares its root with male names such as Milan and Miloš.

The Hebrew Milcah has a separate history. It is the name of a daughter of Haran and wife of Nahor in the book of Genesis, and of a daughter of Zelophehad in the book of Numbers. Transliterations in some European languages render it Milka, which is why the spelling appears in Jewish usage as well as in Slavic usage; the two traditions are distinct.

How Popular is the Name Milka?

Milka 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 2001. Its best rank was #4,954 in 2001.

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.

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.

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How the Name Milka 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 intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.

You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.

✦ Milka's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Milka's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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