Meaning & History
Maala is a feminine name found in the Greek and Latin versions of the Old Testament. It is a transliteration of the Hebrew name Mahlah (מַחְלָה, Maḥla), which appears in the Bible as the name of a daughter of Zelophehad (Numbers 26:33) and also, in a different form, as a masculine name (1 Chronicles 7:18). The name derives from the Hebrew root ḥala, meaning "weak" or "sick."
The feminine form was borne by one of the five daughters of Zelophehad, who successfully petitioned Moses for the right to inherit their father's land, a story recounted in Numbers 27. In the Latin Vulgate and Greek Septuagint, this name appears as Maala, while later English translations often use Mahala or Mahalia.
Related Forms
Other variants of this name in different languages include the Biblical Hebrew Machla and the English forms Mahala and Mahalia. The name is also used as a masculine name in the Bible, though in that context it is sometimes spelled Mahalah.
As a Place Name
Outside of biblical usage, Maala is also the name of a town and commune in Bouïra Province, Algeria, though this is unrelated to the Hebrew name.
- Meaning: "weak, sick" (from Hebrew ḥala)
- Origin: Hebrew, via Greek and Latin
- Usage: Biblical (Greek and Latin Old Testament)
- Type: Variant of Mahlah
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Maala