Baby names starting with M
186 names beginning with M, each with an editorial meaning and origin note and its real popularity rank from the 2025 U.S. Social Security Administration data. Rank is U.S.-only and reflects how records are grouped in that source.
- Mabel short form of Amabel, from Latin 'amabilis' = lovable, worthy of love
- Mac from the Gaelic 'mac' = son, the first element of many Scottish and Irish surnames, now used on its own
- Maci modern respelling of Macy, a Norman surname from places called Massy in France, from the Gallo-Roman personal name Maccius
- Macie variant spelling of Macy, a transferred Norman surname from French places called Massy, based on the Gallo-Roman personal name Maccius
- Mack short form of Scottish and Irish surnames beginning Mac- / Mc-, from Gaelic 'mac' = son
- Mackenzie transferred Scottish surname, anglicized from Gaelic 'Mac Coinnich' = 'son of Coinneach'; Coinneach = comely, handsome
- Macklin transferred Irish surname, generally taken as an anglicization of Mac Fhloinn = 'son of Flann', from 'flann' = red, ruddy
- Macy transferred Norman surname, from places called Massy in France, from the Gallo-Roman personal name Maccius
- Madalyn variant spelling of Madeline, from Magdalene = 'of Magdala', a town on the Sea of Galilee, from Hebrew 'migdal' = tower
- Madden from the Irish surname O Madaidhin, from 'madadh' = hound, dog
- Maddison variant spelling of Madison, an English surname meaning 'son of Maud', Maud being a medieval form of Matilda (Germanic 'maht' = might + 'hild' = battle); its use for girls followed the 1984 film Splash
- Maddox transferred Welsh surname meaning 'son of Madoc', from Welsh 'mad' = fortunate, good
- Madeleine French form of Magdalene, 'woman of Magdala', a village on the Sea of Galilee
- Madeline from Magdalene = 'woman of Magdala', a village on the Sea of Galilee; borne in the New Testament by Mary Magdalene
- Madelyn modern American respelling of Madeline, from Magdalene = 'woman of Magdala', a village on the Sea of Galilee
- Madelynn modern American respelling of Madeline, from Magdalene = 'of Magdala', a village on the Sea of Galilee
- Madilyn modern American respelling of Madeline, from Magdalene = 'of Magdala', a village on the Sea of Galilee
- Madilynn modern respelling of Madeline, from French Madeleine, from Magdalene = 'of Magdala', a town on the Sea of Galilee (Hebrew 'migdal' = tower)
- Madison surname meaning 'son of Maud' (Matilda), sometimes 'son of Magdalen'; taken up for girls in America after the film Splash (1984)
- Madisson modern respelling of Madison, a transferred English surname meaning 'son of Maud'; Maud is a contracted form of Matilda, Germanic 'maht' = might + 'hild' = battle
- Mae variant spelling of May, either the month (named for the Roman goddess Maia) or a diminutive of Mary and Margaret
- Mael Breton, from Old Breton 'mael' = prince, chieftain
- Maelyn modern American blend of Mae with the -lyn suffix
- Maelynn modern American coinage joining Mae (a variant of May) to the -lynn ending; no older documented root
- Maeve anglicized form of the Irish Medb, generally read as 'she who intoxicates', from a root tied to mead; the warrior queen of Connacht in Irish legend
- Maggie diminutive of Margaret, from Greek 'margarites' = pearl
- Magnolia from the flowering tree, named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol, who died in 1715
- Magnus Latin 'magnus' = great; taken into Scandinavian use from Charlemagne's title Carolus Magnus
- Maia Greek Maia, eldest of the Pleiades and mother of Hermes, her name read as 'good mother, nurse'; the Roman Maia gave her name to the month of May
- Maisie Scottish diminutive of Mairead, the Gaelic form of Margaret, from Greek 'margarites' = pearl
- Maisy variant of Maisie, a Scottish pet form of Mairead (Margaret), from Greek 'margarites' = pearl
- Maite Basque name, either a contraction of Maria Teresa or from Basque 'maite' = beloved
- Major from the English military rank and Latin 'maior' = greater, elder; also an English surname from the medieval name Mauger
- Makai Hawaiian 'ma kai' = toward the sea; in American use also a respelling of Micah
- Makari modern American coinage in the -ari family (compare Amari, Damari); sometimes linked to Greek 'makarios' = blessed, the root of Macarius, though this form has no documented older root
- Makayla modern American respelling of Michaela, feminine of Michael, from Hebrew Mikha'el = 'who is like God?'
- Makenna modern American respelling of McKenna, from the Irish surname Mac Cionaodha = 'son of Cionaodh', a name read as 'born of fire'
- Makenzie modern respelling of Mackenzie, from the Scottish surname Mac Coinnich = 'son of Coinneach', from Gaelic 'coinneach' = comely, handsome
- Malachi from Hebrew Mal'akhi = 'my messenger'
- Malakai modern respelling of Malachi, from Hebrew 'mal'akhi' = 'my messenger'
- Malaki modern respelling of Malachi, from Hebrew Mal'akhi = 'my messenger'
- Malani modern American name, either a respelling of Melanie (Greek 'melas' = black, dark) or formed on the Hawaiian element 'lani' = sky, heaven; root debated
- Malaya either from Tagalog 'malaya' = free, or a modern variant of Malia, the Hawaiian form of Mary; root debated
- Malayah modern American respelling of Maliyah and Malia; Malia is the Hawaiian form of Maria (Mary), from Hebrew Miryam
- Malaysia from the name of the Southeast Asian country, from Malay 'Melayu' (the Malay people) with the Latin place-name ending -ia
- Malcolm Scottish, from Gaelic Mael Coluim = 'devotee of Columba', 'mael' = servant, tonsured one
- Maleah modern respelling of Malia, the Hawaiian form of Mary; also read as an elaboration of Leah
- Malia Hawaiian form of Mary; also used as a variant of Maria and Amalia
- Malik Arabic 'malik' = king; a separate English surname Malik derives from Malachy
- Maliyah modern American name in the -iyah pattern, an elaboration of Malia, the Hawaiian form of Mary
- Mallory transferred Norman surname, from Old French 'malheure' = unlucky, unfortunate ('mal' = bad + 'eur' = luck, omen)
- Manuel Spanish and Portuguese short form of Emmanuel, from Hebrew 'Immanu El' = 'God is with us'
- Maple English tree name, from Old English 'mapul' = maple tree
- Mara Hebrew Marah = bitter, the name Naomi took after her losses; also used as a short form of Tamara
- Marc French form of Mark, from the Latin Marcus, probably derived from Mars, the Roman god of war
- Marcel French diminutive of Marcus, itself most likely from Mars, the Roman god of war
- Marceline French feminine diminutive of Marcel, from Latin Marcellus, itself a diminutive of Marcus, generally traced to Mars, the Roman god of war
- Marcellus Latin, a diminutive of Marcus, itself derived from the name of the Roman god Mars
- Marcelo Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellus, a Roman diminutive of Marcus, which is generally traced to Mars, the Roman god of war
- Marco Italian form of Marcus, most likely a derivative of Mars, the Roman god of war
- Marcos Spanish and Portuguese form of Mark, from Latin Marcus, most likely from Mars
- Marcus Roman given name, most likely derived from Mars, the god of war
- Maren Danish and Norwegian form of Marina, from Latin 'marinus' = of the sea; also treated as a form of Mary
- Margaret from Greek 'margarites' = pearl, itself probably borrowed from an eastern language
- Margo respelling of Margot, a French pet form of Marguerite, from Greek 'margarites' = pearl
- Margot French pet form of Marguerite, the French form of Margaret, from Greek 'margarites' = pearl
- Maria Latin form of Miriam and Mary, from Hebrew Miryam, whose root is disputed; 'bitter', 'beloved' and an Egyptian element meaning beloved have all been argued
- Mariah an 18th-century English respelling of Maria, said with a long middle vowel; Maria from Hebrew Miryam
- Mariam Greek and Arabic form of Miriam and Mary, from Hebrew Miryam
- Marian medieval variant of Marion, a French diminutive of Marie (Mary), from Hebrew Miryam; sometimes read as a blend of Mary and Ann
- Mariana Spanish and Portuguese, either a joining of Maria and Ana or from the Roman family name Marianus
- Mariano Italian and Spanish, from Latin Marianus, a derivative of the Roman family name Marius; later associated with Maria
- Marie French form of Maria, from Hebrew Miryam
- Mariela Spanish diminutive of Maria, from Hebrew Miriam, a name of uncertain meaning
- Marigold from the flower, English Mary + gold, the golden bloom dedicated to the Virgin
- Marilyn modern elaboration of Mary with the -lyn ending, first common in the early 20th century
- Marina Latin feminine of Marinus, from 'marinus' = of the sea
- Mario Italian and Spanish form of the Roman family name Marius, probably connected with Mars, the god of war, though some link it to Latin 'mas' = male; root debated
- Marisol Spanish, a joining of Maria and Sol = sun, or a contraction of Maria de la Soledad
- Marjorie medieval English form of Margery, from Margaret, from Greek 'margarites' = pearl; the spelling was influenced by the herb marjoram
- Mark from Latin Marcus, most likely a derivative of Mars, the Roman god of war
- Marlee modern respelling of Marley, an English surname from a place name, from Old English 'leah' = clearing, with a first element variously read as 'mearth' = marten or 'gemaere' = boundary
- Marley transferred English surname and place name, from Old English 'mearth' = marten or 'mere' = pool, boundary + 'leah' = clearing, wood; often given in tribute to Bob Marley
- Marlon root uncertain; possibly a French diminutive of Marc, from Latin Marcus, or a transferred surname related to Merlin; popularized by the actor Marlon Brando
- Marlow transferred English surname from the Buckinghamshire place name, usually read as Old English 'mere' = lake + 'lafe' = remains; land left after a lake drained
- Marlowe transferred surname from an English place name, Old English 'mere' = pool + a second element meaning leavings; the land left when a pool was drained
- Marshall occupational surname from Old French 'mareschal', first a servant who tended horses and later a high officer of state; from Germanic 'marah' = horse + 'skalk' = servant
- Martha from Aramaic Marta = lady, mistress of the house
- Martin from Latin Martinus, a derivative of Mars, the Roman god of war
- Marvin from the Welsh Merfyn, whose first element is disputed and whose second, 'myn', means eminent; reshaped in England as a surname
- Mary English form of Miriam, through Greek Mariam and Latin Maria; the Hebrew root is disputed, with 'bitter', 'beloved' and an Egyptian element all proposed
- Maryam Arabic form of Mary, from Hebrew Miryam; the name of the mother of Jesus in the Quran
- Mason occupational surname for a worker in stone, from Old French 'masson'
- Mateo Spanish form of Matthew, from Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of Yahweh'
- Matheo variant of Mateo, the Spanish form of Matthew, from Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of the Lord'
- Mathew variant spelling of Matthew, from Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of Yahweh', through Greek Matthaios
- Mathias variant of Matthias, the Greek form of Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of Yahweh'
- Matias Spanish, Portuguese and Finnish form of Matthias, from Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of Yahweh'
- Matilda from the Germanic Mahthildis, 'maht' = might, strength + 'hild' = battle
- Matteo Italian form of Matthew, from Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of Yahweh'
- Matthew from Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of Yahweh', through Greek Matthaios
- Matthias Greek form of Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of Yahweh'; the apostle chosen to replace Judas
- Mattias Scandinavian and German form of Matthias, from Hebrew Mattityahu = 'gift of Yahweh'
- Mattie pet form of Martha, from Aramaic 'marta' = lady, mistress, or of Matilda, from Germanic 'maht' = might + 'hild' = battle
- Maurice French form of the Latin name Mauritius, from 'Maurus' = a Moor, a North African
- Mauricio Spanish form of Maurice, from Latin Mauritius = 'a Moor, dark-skinned', from 'Maurus'
- Maverick from the American word for an unbranded calf and so for an independent, from Samuel Maverick, a 19th-century Texas rancher who left his cattle unmarked
- Mavis from an old poetic word for the song thrush, taken into English from Old French; used as a given name after Marie Corelli's novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895)
- Max short form of Maximilian and Maxwell; Maximilian from Latin 'maximus' = greatest
- Maximilian Latin Maximilianus, built on 'maximus' = greatest; the Emperor Frederick III is said to have blended Maximus and Aemilianus for his son
- Maximiliano Spanish form of Maximilian, from Latin Maximilianus, built on 'maximus' = greatest
- Maximo Spanish form of Maximus, from Latin 'maximus' = greatest
- Maximus from Latin 'maximus' = greatest, the superlative of 'magnus' = great; a Roman cognomen later borne by several saints
- Maxine feminine form of Max, from the Latin Maximus = 'greatest'
- Maxton modern American coinage joining Max, from the Latin Maximus = 'greatest', to the -ton ending
- Maxwell from a Scottish surname and place name near Melrose, from the personal name Mack, a form of Magnus, + Old English 'wella' = well, spring; 'Mack's stream'
- May either the month, named for the Roman goddess Maia, or a diminutive of Mary and Margaret; also the hawthorn blossom
- Maya several roots converge on the spelling: Sanskrit 'maya' = illusion; the Greek Maia, mother of Hermes; the Roman Maia, who gave her name to May; and Hebrew Mayim = water
- Maylee modern American coinage joining May to the fashionable -lee ending; also used in English for Chinese Meili = 'beautiful'
- Mccoy Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Aodha = 'son of Aodh', from 'aodh' = fire
- Mckenna from the Irish surname Mac Cionaodha = 'son of Cionaodh', a personal name containing 'aodh' = fire
- Mckenzie from the Scottish surname Mac Coinnich = 'son of Coinneach', from Gaelic 'coinneach' = comely, handsome
- Mckinley from the Scottish and Irish surname Mac Fhionnlaigh = 'son of Fionnlagh', from 'fionn' = fair, white + 'laoch' = warrior
- Meadow English word name, from Old English 'maedwe' = meadow, mown grassland, related to 'mawan' = to mow
- Meilani modern coinage joining Mei/Mai to the Hawaiian 'lani' = sky, heaven
- Mekhi modern American name of uncertain origin, known through the actor Mekhi Phifer; sometimes treated as a form of Micah
- Melani variant spelling of Melanie, from Greek 'melas', feminine 'melaina' = black, dark
- Melania from Greek 'melas', stem 'melan-' = black, dark
- Melanie from Greek 'melas', 'melaina' = black, dark, by way of the Latin name Melania
- Melany variant spelling of Melanie, from Greek 'melas', stem 'melan-' = black, dark
- Melina Greek, from 'meli' = honey; also used as a short form of names such as Emmelina
- Melissa from Greek 'melissa' = bee, from 'meli' = honey
- Melody from Greek 'melodia' = singing, from 'melos' = tune + 'aoide' = song
- Memphis from the ancient Egyptian capital, its Greek name taken from Egyptian Men-nefer = 'enduring and beautiful'; also the Tennessee city named after it
- Meredith from the Welsh Maredudd; the second element is 'iudd' = lord, the first is uncertain and often read as 'great'
- Merrick from the Welsh Meurig, a form of Maurice, from Latin 'Maurus' = a Moor, dark-skinned
- Merritt transferred English surname from the place name Merriott in Somerset; the elements are uncertain, sometimes read as Old English 'myrig' = pleasant + 'geat' = gate
- Messiah English word name, from Hebrew 'mashiach' = anointed one, by way of Greek Messias; rendered in Greek as Christos
- Mia Scandinavian and Italian short form of Maria; also read as Italian 'mia' = mine, and as Hebrew Miya, a short form of Miriam
- Micaela Spanish and Italian feminine of Michael, from Hebrew Mikha'el = 'who is like God?'
- Micah from Hebrew Mikhah, a shortened form of Mikha'el: 'who is like Yahweh?'
- Michael from Hebrew Mikha'el, framed as a question: 'who is like God?'
- Michelle French feminine of Michel, from Hebrew Mikha'el = 'who is like God?'
- Miguel Spanish and Portuguese form of Michael, from Hebrew 'mikha'el' = 'who is like God?'
- Mikael Scandinavian form of Michael, from Hebrew Mikha'el = 'who is like God?'
- Mikaela feminine form of Michael, from Hebrew Mikha'el = 'who is like God?'
- Mikayla modern respelling of Michaela, the feminine of Michael, from Hebrew Mikhael = 'who is like God?'
- Mike short form of Michael, from Hebrew Mikha'el = 'who is like God?'
- Mila Slavic short form of names built on 'mil' = gracious, dear, such as Milana and Ludmila; also taken as a short form of Camila and Emilia
- Milan Slavic, from 'mil' = gracious, dear; also read as the Italian city, whose Latin name was Mediolanum
- Milana Italian and Slavic feminine of Milan, from the Slavic 'mil' = gracious, dear
- Milani modern name, taken either from Milano, the Italian city of Milan, or formed as an elaboration of Mila, from the Slavic root 'mil' = gracious, dear
- Miles from the Norman name Milo, of uncertain sense and probably Germanic; the long-standing tie to Latin 'miles' = soldier is likely a later association
- Miley modern American name popularized by the actress and singer Miley Cyrus, whose childhood nickname 'Smiley' was shortened to Miley
- Miller transferred occupational surname, 'one who grinds grain', from Middle English 'milnere', ultimately Latin 'molina' = mill
- Millie pet form of Millicent, Mildred or Amelia; Millicent from Germanic 'amal' = work, labour + 'swinth' = strength
- Milo from the Norman Milo, a Germanic name of uncertain sense; the association with Latin 'miles' = soldier is probably later
- Mina short form of Wilhelmina and similar names; separate Persian and Japanese names share the spelling, the Persian 'mina' meaning enamel, glass, azure
- Mira several roots meet in the spelling: Latin 'mira' = wonderful, and the variable star Mira; the Hindi Meera, borne by the poet-saint; and the Slavic 'mir' = peace, world
- Miracle English word name, from Latin 'miraculum' = object of wonder, from 'mirari' = to wonder at
- Miranda coined by Shakespeare for The Tempest (1611), from Latin 'mirandus' = admirable, worthy of wonder
- Mireya Spanish form of Mireia, from Mireio, the name coined by Frederic Mistral for his 1859 Provencal poem, linked to Occitan 'mirar' = to admire
- Miriam from Hebrew Miryam, the older form of Mary; the root is disputed, with 'bitter', 'beloved' and an Egyptian element all put forward
- Misael Spanish form of the Hebrew Mishael = 'who is what God is'; in the Book of Daniel, the companion renamed Meshach
- Mohamed variant transliteration of Arabic Muhammad, from 'hamida' = to praise; 'praised, praiseworthy'
- Mohammad variant transliteration of Arabic Muhammad, from 'hamida' = to praise; 'praised, praiseworthy'
- Mohammed variant transliteration of Arabic Muhammad, from 'hamida' = to praise; 'praised, praiseworthy'
- Moises Spanish and Portuguese form of Moses, from Hebrew Moshe
- Mollie variant of Molly, a medieval English diminutive of Mary, from Hebrew Miryam
- Molly medieval pet form of Mary by way of Mally; long used on its own in England and Ireland
- Monica the name of the mother of St Augustine, of North African and probably Berber origin; the later links to Greek 'monos' = alone and Latin 'monere' = to advise are guesses
- Monroe transferred Scottish surname Munro, traditionally explained as 'from the mouth of the River Roe' in Ireland
- Montana from the American state, from Spanish 'montana' = mountainous, ultimately Latin 'mons', genitive 'montis' = mountain
- Morgan Welsh Morcant, probably 'mor' = sea + a second element read as bright or as circle; a separate Irish surname also feeds the name
- Moses from Hebrew Moshe, explained in Exodus by 'mashah' = to draw out of the water; more likely Egyptian, from 'mes' = son, born of
- Moshe Hebrew form of Moses; explained in Exodus by 'mashah' = to draw out of water, though the name is more likely Egyptian, from 'mes' = child, born of
- Muhammad from Arabic 'muhammad' = praised, praiseworthy, from the root h-m-d 'to praise'; the name of the Prophet of Islam
- Murphy from the Irish surname O Murchadha, from 'muir' = sea + 'cath' = battle; 'sea-warrior'
- Musa Arabic form of Moses, a prophet in the Quran; the underlying Hebrew Moshe is traditionally 'drawn out of the water', probably from Egyptian 'mes' = son, child
- Mustafa Arabic 'mustafa' = chosen, selected; a title of the Prophet Muhammad
- Mya modern respelling of Maya or Mia; the spelling was popularized in the United States by the singer Mya
- Myla modern name, either a feminine formation from Miles or a variant of Mila, from the Slavic root 'mil' = gracious, dear
- Mylah modern American name, a respelling of Myla, itself a recent feminine formation from Miles; no older documented root
- Myles variant spelling of Miles, from the Germanic name Milo, of uncertain meaning; long associated with Latin 'miles' = soldier, though the connection is probably secondary
- Mylo modern respelling of Milo, a medieval Latin name of debated root, linked either to a Germanic and Slavic element 'mil' = gracious, dear or to Latin 'miles' = soldier
- Myra coined in the 17th century by the poet Fulke Greville, probably reshaped from Latin 'mirari' = to wonder at; the ancient city of Myra in Asia Minor shares the spelling
Only names carrying a meaning note are listed here. Popularity-only records exist for many more spellings and are reachable through the full directory search.
Still deciding?
Run one of these through a free Name Check — its real rank and trend, how common it actually is, how it flows with your surname, and the initials it makes. No card. When you want your whole shortlist handled, The Report is $149.