The ancient Slavic female name Maleta is derived from the surnames Maleta and Maletich, which have been recorded in the Ukrainian Carpathians since the 16th century. This name also comes from the nicknames of domestic animals, given by owners to those of shorter stature. The female name Maleta was used among Serbs and is still in use among Croats today. Maleta is a simple Slavic name formed from the adjective "small" with the addition of the suffix "-eta."
