Unisex name · Old French
Mallory
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: unlucky, unfortunateMallory is a gender-neutral name that comes from Old French and means "unlucky, unfortunate". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Unlucky, unfortunate
- Origin
- Old French
- Gender
- Unisex
- US rank
- #372 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Mallory
As a gender-neutral name, Mallory comes from Old French and means "unlucky, unfortunate". It is used in English.
Mallory is also a surname: the 2,108th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 16,690 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Mallory on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Mallory on 2 lists.
“A pun on the mallard, the classic green-headed duck”
From Bird names, duck names
“Unlucky, unfortunate; Norman French. A surname turned first name”
From Gothic names, names that mean dark, night or raven
How popular is Mallory?
As a girl’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #372
- 825 babies, 513 per million girls
- Best rank
- #83 in 1986
- 3,325 babies that year
- Babies since 1938
- At least 59,044
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 1 per million |
| 1940s | 8 per million |
| 1950s | 13 per million |
| 1960s | 12 per million |
| 1970s | 16 per million |
| 1980s | 878 per million |
| 1990s | 915 per million |
| 2000s | 776 per million |
| 2010s | 476 per million |
| 2020s | 408 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #437 | #553 | #551 | #557 | #566 | #549 | #533 | #432 | #412 | #372 |
As a boy’s name
- Recent US rank
- Fewer than 5 babies in 2025
- Best rank
- #1,443 in 1957
- Most babies: 32 in 1971
- Babies since 1914
- At least 1,100
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 3 per million |
| 1920s | 6 per million |
| 1930s | 6 per million |
| 1940s | 9 per million |
| 1950s | 9 per million |
| 1960s | 8 per million |
| 1970s | 10 per million |
| 1980s | 8 per million |
| 1990s | 5 per million |
| 2000s | 2 per million |
| 2010s | 0 per million |
| 2020s | 1 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | #11,734 | – | – |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Mallory
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- MarjoryPearl (Greek, girl)
Middle names for Mallory
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More names from Old French
- BellamyBeautiful friend (Old French, unisex)
- BlancheWhite, fair (Old French, girl)
- EsméEsteemed, loved (Old French, girl)
- GrantGreat, large (Old French, boy)
- LyleIsland (Old French, boy)
- WallaceForeigner, Welshman (Old French, boy)
- AlgernonHaving a mustache (Old French, boy)
- AmyBeloved (Old French, girl)
- ArcherBowman (Old French, boy)
- BaileySteward, bailiff (Old French, unisex)
- CorbinRaven (Old French, boy)
- CurtisCourteous (Old French, boy)
- DarrellFrom Airelle, a place in Normandy (Old French, boy)
- DouceSweet (Old French, girl)
- EleanorReportedly from Latin alia Aenor, the other Aenor (Old French, girl)
- ElliePet form of Eleanor, Ellen, Elizabeth and other El- names (Old French, girl)
- EsmeeEsteemed, loved (Old French, girl)
- FletcherArrow maker (Old French, boy)
Mallory: common questions
What does the name Mallory mean?
Mallory comes from Old French and means "unlucky, unfortunate".
Is Mallory a boy or girl name?
Mallory is used for both boys and girls.
Where does the name Mallory come from?
Mallory comes from Old French and means "unlucky, unfortunate". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Mallory?
Mallory ranked #372 in the US in 2025, with 825 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Mallory?
Names spelled like Mallory include Marjory.
What middle names go with Mallory?
Middle names that flow well with Mallory include Ansel, Elise, Henry, Pearl and Poppy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.