Etymology
* As an Irish surname, shortened form of O'Malley.
* As an English surname of Norman origin, from several places in France named Mailly, from Latin Mallius, a nomen.
* As a Carpathian Rusyn surname, Americanized from Mlej; see Malay. Similar Slavic variants exist such as Polish Mały, Czech and Slovak Malý, Slovene Malý; see Maly.
* Also as a Slovene and Slovak surname, from Malej; see Maley.