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Home › Baby Names Directory › Malori

Malori

♀ Girl

Pronounced MAL-uh-ree /ˈmæl.ə.ɹi/High

Meaning: A modern spelling of Mallory, from the Old French malheure, 'unfortunate, unlucky,' used as a nickname and then a surname in England after the Norman conquest. It entered American girls' naming in the nineteen-eighties.Low

In 30 seconds: A surname name with a wry root: Malori spells Mallory, Old French for 'unlucky' (said 'MAL-uh-ree').
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Origin MediumEnglish, French
MeaningA modern spelling of Mallory, from the Old French malheure, 'unfortunate, unlucky,' used as a nickname and then a surname in England after the Norman conquest. It entered American girls' naming in the nineteen-eighties.
U.S. rank (2021)#10797 ↗ Rising
2021 U.S. births9 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1987
Total births (all-time)≈ 751

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198719832021

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

Malori is a modern spelling of Mallory. The name comes from Old French malheure, 'unfortunate, unlucky,' used as a personal nickname by Norman settlers in England and hardening into a surname; Sir Thomas Malory, who compiled the Arthurian Le Morte d'Arthur, is its most famous bearer. Mallory moved into American girls' naming in the nineteen-eighties, helped by television, and trimmed spellings like Malori followed (said 'MAL-uh-ree').

It appears only in very small numbers against the commoner Mallory. Rare, bright, and surname-flavoured.

Did you know? Mallory began as a Norman nickname for someone unfortunate - a wry name that softened into a surname and, centuries later, into a bright American girls' name.
Overall data confidence 45%
References - Malori — Mallory from Old French malheure 'unfortunate'; Norman surname

Variations

MalloryMalloriMalorie

Nicknames

MalLoriMallie

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Malori…

Mallory— the standard spelling it trims
Marlowe— a like surname-style pick
Emory— a like -ory ending surname name
Kallie— a like bright three-beat choice

Explore names like Malori

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Malori mean?

Malori spells Mallory, from Old French malheure ('unfortunate') - a Norman nickname that became a surname and a name.

How do you pronounce Malori?

It's said MAL-uh-ree /ˈmæl.ə.ɹi/ - three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Malori a boy or girl name?

Malori is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Malori?

Malori is extremely rare in the U.S.

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