Malek is a spelling of the Arabic Malik and means "king" or "sovereign"; the related form Malak means "angel", and the two are sometimes blended in everyday use. The e spelling is typical of the Levant and North Africa and is familiar in America through actor Rami Malek. The name has never reached the US top 1000; it moved between number 1278 in 2023, its best year, and the 2000s over the past decade, and ranks 1472 in 2025.