Malo

♂ Boy

Pronounced MAH-loh /ˈmɑ.loʊ/Medium

Meaning: Malo has several honest readings, and we give them all. It is the name of a sixth-century Breton saint (Saint-Malo in Brittany is named for him) and a well-used French given name. In Samoan and other Polynesian languages, malo means 'thank you' and also carries the sense of 'strong, victorious'. And in Spanish, malo is the everyday word for 'bad' - families should know this plainly.Low

In 30 seconds: Malo is a Breton saint's name and a Samoan word for 'thank you; strong'. In Spanish, though, malo means 'bad' - we say so plainly (said 'MAH-loh').

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Origin LowBreton, Samoan

MeaningMalo has several honest readings, and we give them all. It is the name of a sixth-century Breton saint (Saint-Malo in Brittany is named for him) and a well-used French given name. In Samoan and other Polynesian languages, malo means 'thank you' and also carries the sense of 'strong, victorious'. And in Spanish, malo is the everyday word for 'bad' - families should know this plainly.

U.S. rank (2023)#10375 ↗ Rising

2023 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1972

Total births (all-time)≈ 64

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Malo is the name of a sixth-century Breton saint, one of the founder-saints of Brittany, and the walled port of Saint-Malo carries his name; it has long been used as a given name in France. Quite separately, malo in Samoan and other Polynesian languages means 'thank you' and carries a sense of 'strong, victorious'. And plainly: in Spanish, malo is the ordinary word for 'bad'. We give all three honestly and neutrally so families can choose with open eyes (said 'MAH-loh').

It appears only very rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare here, familiar in France and the Pacific.

Did you know? Three honest facts about Malo: it is a Breton saint (the port of Saint-Malo bears his name), it means 'thank you' and 'strong' in Samoan, and it means 'bad' in Spanish. Families choosing it should know all three (said 'MAH-loh').

Overall data confidence 45%

References - Malo — Breton Saint Malo (Saint-Malo, Brittany); Samoan malo 'thank you; strong'; Spanish malo 'bad'.

Variations

MaclouMalouMaloe

Nicknames

MalLoMomo

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Malo…

Milo— a near-twin in sound

Arlo— shares the easy two-beat -lo ending

Mateo— a fellow warm M- boys' name

Maelan— lands in the same popularity range

Harvey— another Breton name

Explore names like Malo

By themeword-name polynesian breton

By meaningStrength Gift / Blessing Victory Truth

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Malo mean?

Malo is a Breton saint's name (Saint-Malo), and in Samoan it means 'thank you' and 'strong'. In Spanish, malo means 'bad' - we state that plainly.

How do you pronounce Malo?

It's said MAH-loh /ˈmɑ.loʊ/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Malo a boy or girl name?

Malo is a boy's name.

How popular is Malo?

Malo is very rare and newly emerging for boys in the U.S., though it is well used in France.