Al vs Malin
Al and Malincompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2016, Al was ranked #3214 and Malin #2120 among girls in England and Wales.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2019, Al was ranked #4702 and Malin #2728 among boys in England and Wales.
Al and Malin over time
Al and Malin appear together in 1 published list, across 14 years of shared records. Al held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Malin in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Al #1132 in 2003, Malin #2189 in 2003.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys14 shared years, 1996–2019
Al held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Malin in 1.
Highest recorded here: Al #1132 in 2003, Malin #2189 in 2003.
The order changed in 2019: Malin moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #2259 and #4749; by 2019 that had become #4702 and #2728.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Al #4702, Malin #2728.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Al | Malin |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE | GB-ENW, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #1595 (2024) | Norway · Girls #167 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 60/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Al has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Malin.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW.
How each name got here
Al
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #1235 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2002–2004
Highest recorded position: #305 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2003 (recorded 2002–2004).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1595 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Malin
Popularity journey
First recorded1966
First recorded at #530 among girls in Norway in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1998 (recorded 1966–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #167 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls