Everyone loves a good celebrity baby name. But when Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas finally dropped the name of their little girl, it wasn’t just another Hollywood trend like naming a kid after a fruit or a direction on a compass.
Honestly, it felt a lot more grounded.
Malti Marie Chopra Jonas. That’s the name. It’s a mouthful, sure, but it’s packed with so much history and family sentiment that you kinda have to respect it. If you’ve been following the couple since their massive 2018 wedding in Jodhpur, you know they don’t do anything halfway. This name is no different. It’s a bridge between two very different worlds, basically tying a knot between a small-town girl from Bareilly and a boy band heartthrob from New Jersey.
The Secret Meaning Behind Malti Marie
So, what’s the deal with "Malti"? If you’re not familiar with Sanskrit, it might just sound like a pretty, vintage name. And it is.
In Sanskrit, Malti (often spelled Malthi) literally translates to "small fragrant flower" or sometimes "moonlight." It’s a very old-school Indian name. Like, the kind of name your grandmother might have. In a world where everyone is trying to be "edgy," Priyanka went for something deeply traditional and, frankly, quite sweet.
But there's a deeper layer.
✨ Don't miss: Kat Von D Indiana Update: Why the Tattoo Icon Traded Hollywood for a Haunted Small Town
Priyanka’s mother is Dr. Madhu Chopra. Her full name? Madhumalti.
By naming her daughter Malti, Priyanka gave a massive nod to the woman who raised her. It’s a tribute that hits different when you realize how close the two of them are.
Then you’ve got Marie.
This isn't just a random middle name they picked because it sounded French. It’s a direct link to the Jonas side of the family. Nick’s mother, Denise, has the middle name Marie. So, the kid basically carries the DNA of both grandmothers in her very first breath of a signature.
A Rough Start in the NICU
Life wasn't exactly a fairytale the moment she arrived. Malti was born via surrogate on January 15, 2022. But here's the thing: she was super premature.
She arrived a full trimester early—about 28 weeks.
Priyanka has been pretty open lately about how terrifying those first few months were. Imagine being one of the biggest stars on the planet, yet you’re sitting in a San Diego NICU for 100 days straight, watching your baby—who was literally smaller than a hand—fight to breathe.
Nick and Priyanka spent every single day there. They did "kangaroo care," which is basically skin-to-skin contact, just hoping she’d pull through. She finally came home right around Mother’s Day in 2022.
It makes the name feel even more significant, doesn't it? A "fragrant flower" that had to be incredibly tough to bloom at all.
Growing Up Between Two Cultures
Fast forward to right now, January 2026. Malti Marie just turned four!
The couple threw her this insane "The Little Mermaid" themed party. We’re talking Ariel cakes, seashell cookies, and enough teal balloons to fill a stadium. It’s wild to see her now, running around and apparently "insisting" her name is actually Malti Marie Moana Chopra Jonas.
Yeah, she’s in that phase.
She tells people at school her name is Moana. Priyanka joked on Good Morning America that the kid is a total "girly girl" but also an adrenaline junkie who loves rollercoasters.
What’s really cool is how they’re raising her. One day she’s in a tiny custom lehenga for Diwali in Mumbai, and the next she’s celebrating Christmas with the Jonas crew. She’s getting the full "global citizen" experience.
🔗 Read more: Dana Wilkey Husband: Why Everyone Gets the Story Wrong
Why the Surrogacy Choice Still Sparks Conversation
Look, people can be judgmental. When the news first broke that they used a surrogate, the internet did what the internet does: it got messy. Some people accused Priyanka of "outsourcing" her pregnancy for her career.
Priyanka eventually shut that down in a British Vogue interview.
She didn't give away every medical detail—because, honestly, she doesn't owe anyone her charts—but she made it clear it was a "necessary step" due to medical complications. She’s fiercely protective of Malti. She’s said before that while she can handle the trolls coming for her, she draws a hard line at her daughter.
The "Donut Brothers" and Other Family Quirks
Family life seems pretty grounded for a kid with a Jonas for a dad.
Malti has her own nicknames for everyone. She calls Nick "Gaga." And the Jonas Brothers? She calls them the "Donut Brothers." No one knows exactly why, but it stuck.
At the Golden Globes 2026 recently, Priyanka gave a shout-out to the real MVPs: the grandparents. She basically said that the only way she and Nick manage their careers (with her filming The Bluff and Nick touring) is because the grandmas are always around to help.
Making Sense of the Legacy
When you look at Priyanka Chopra daughter name, you aren't just looking at a choice made by a celebrity couple. You’re looking at a deliberate attempt to keep a child tethered to her roots while she grows up in the glare of Hollywood.
Malti isn't just a name; it's a bridge.
If you're looking for ways to honor your own heritage while moving forward in a modern world, here are a few takeaways from the Chopra-Jonas playbook:
- Look to the Middle: Middle names are perfect for honoring elders without making a child’s first name feel "heavy."
- Meaning Over Trends: Sanskrit names like Malti have staying power because they carry a literal meaning (moonlight/flower) that never goes out of style.
- Privacy is a Choice: You can share the "mermaid parties" while still keeping the difficult medical or personal stuff close to the chest.
It’ll be interesting to see if she keeps the "Moana" title as she gets older, but for now, Malti Marie seems to be doing just fine being exactly who she is.