Hi Jewishgenners. Among Ashkenazim there is a common female first name of Malka. It often goes with a nickname among Russian Jews of Manya. Is it possible that the tradition of that name might go back to a Sephardi/Spanish or Italian name of Reina/Regina, thereby suggesting the possibility of actual Sephardi/Spanish/Italian ancestry in the not-too-distant past? I keep thinking about this issue ever since reading the story about the Sephardi/Italian ancestry of the Charlap family name. Perhaps it is as simple as a baby girl being born around Purim and therefore has an association with Queen Esther. I suppose the male equivalent is just Melech. But this doesn't have the equivalent in Sephardi/Spanish/Italian history of "Rey/Re" for king as does Malka with Reina/Regina.
