Malick

Malick is a given name and surname of Arabic origin. It is a variant of Malik, meaning “king” or “ruler.” The spelling Malick is common in West Africa and among Francophone communities, and it is also used in other Muslim communities worldwide.

As a given name, Malick appears in various cultures, including Africa and the Muslim world. One notable bearer is Malick Sidibé (1935–2016), a Malian photographer celebrated for his black-and-white portraits capturing Bamako in the 1950s and 1960s.

As a surname, Malick is most widely associated with Terrence Malick (born 1943), an American filmmaker known for a distinctive, contemplative style in works such as The Tree of Life (2011) and The Thin Red Line (1998). His surname usage contrasts with Malick as a given name in other contexts, reflecting the same Arabic root.

The name Malick is part of a family of related names including Malik and Malek, and it appears across diverse regions influenced by Arabic and Islamic naming traditions. It is commonly found in North and West Africa as well as in diaspora communities. See also Malik, Malek for related spellings and origins.