What’s the perfect letter of the alphabet for a first name? How about the one that’s right in the middle? Yep, here we’re talking baby boy names that start with M.
The letter M has a lot of potential when it comes to baby boy names – from the perfect mix of cute and cool that is Max to the historical, culturally rich Murphy, to a whole plethora of names that you can trace back to the Roman god Mars.
So, let’s take a look at our favorite boy names that start with M.
In this article: 📝
- Most popular boy names beginning with M
- M names for boys: Mars names
- British names beginning with M
- Variations on Max
- What are some good M names?
Most popular boy names beginning with M
In the US, the most popular male name beginning with M in 2020 was:
- Mason. At number 11 in the charts.
Hot on Mason’s heels is:
- Michael, a perennial favorite that comes in at number 12.
And then, at number 20, we have:
- Matteo, an originally Spanish version of the name…
- Matthew, which is a firm favorite in countries all around the world.
It’s also worth noting that:
- Muhammad is one of the most popular boys’ names on the planet. In the UK, it’s in the top 10 and rising.
But if these aren’t quite your style, or you’re looking for something a little more unique, we’ve got almost 50 more names on our list.
M names for boys: Mars names
A quick mythology lesson:
Mars was the Roman god of war (the equivalent of Ares in Greek, if that’s how you prefer your ancient pantheon). Although they’re associated with warriors, battles, and being war-like, parents have been giving their tiny boy babies Mars names for centuries.
From our community
What’s more, there’s a version in almost every European language, which means that if you’re asking yourself What’s a unique boy’s name that starts with M? the answer might be here:
- Marcel – A French boys’ name.
- Marcin – From Polish. The C is soft, so this name is pronounced ‘MAR-sin’.
- Mark – We now associate it with the Bible, but Mark originally means ‘consecrated to Mars’.
- Marc, Markus, Marcos, or Marco – All of these are variations on Mark.
- Mario – From Italian.
- Martin – Probably the most common Mars name in English-speaking countries, this comes from Latin.
British names beginning with M
Every part of the British Isles has an old M name. So if you want something classic, you’re all about gender-neutral names, or you’re a big fan of the traditional-surnames-as-first-names trend, the perfect M name for your son might be right here.
- Mabon – From Welsh, meaning ‘son’.
- Mabry or Mabrey – Very cool. Very English. The only thing we’d say is that the name means ‘mud hill’.
- Mac – The Irish prefix for ‘son of’ in surnames can also stand alone or as a nickname.
- Mallon or Mallin – An English name meaning ‘strong warrior’.
- Mansfield – An old English name meaning ‘field by the little river’.
- Milton – Meaning ‘from the mill town’.
- Mitchell – Originally a last name in both England and Scotland.
- Murphy – Another Irish name that refers to a sea battle.
- Malcolm – An old Scottish name meaning ‘follower of St Columba’ (who brought Christianity to Scotland in the sixth century).
- Maddox – originally a Welsh surname, this would make a great moniker in any part of the world.
Variations on Max
Is there a sweeter nickname than Max? It’s short and snappy, it’s easy to learn to write, and it has an x, so the cool factor is definitely there. And if you’d rather your son had a longer name on his birth certificate, there are plenty of Max names to choose from:
- Maxim
- Maximillian
- Maximo
- Maximus
- Maxwell
All these names originally come from the Latin word for ‘the greatest’.
What are some good M names?
Still searching? No worries. We’re only halfway through the list.
- Magnus – A Latin name meaning ‘great’. This name also has serious ‘Scottish nobility’ vibes.
- Malachi – A Biblical name meaning ‘my messenger’ (which is appropriate, as Malachi was a minor prophet).
- Malkam – A Hebrew name meaning ‘my king’. The variations Malki and Malkiel are also popular. And we’re particularly partial to the Polish iteration, Malikor.
- Mallery – A French name which means ‘unlucky’ but, if you can look past this, it’s a beautiful first name.
- Mallik – Meaning ‘sovereign’ in Arabic.
- Malvin – A variation on the more common Melvin.
- Mannfred – An old German name meaning ‘man of peace’.
- Mano – Meaning ‘shark’ in different Polynesian languages.
- Manoa – A peaceful Hebrew name, this means ‘place of rest’.
- Mansoor – Another Arabic name, this time meaning ‘one helped by God’.
- Manuel – A shortened form of ‘Emmanuel’ meaning ‘God is with us’, which also stands alone as a boys’ name beginning with M.
- Manus – Meaning ‘great’.
- Marcello – A Latin name meaning ‘like a hammer’.
- Marley – Does music play a big role in your life? Why not name your son after Bob Marley himself?
- Marlon – Meaning ‘little warrior’.
- Marshall – Originally meaning ‘master of horses’.
- Matias – The German form of Matthew. In Europe, a lot of Matiases are known as Matze (pronounced MAT-zuh) to their friends.
- Maverick – A name with serious cool points. But take note – this name just hit the top 40 in the UK, so it might not be as rebellious a choice as it once was.
- Mekhi – A version of Mickey, or Michael.
- Memphis – As in Tennessee.
- Micah – After the Old Testament prophet.
- Miguel – The Spanish form of Michael.
- Miles – Meaning ‘soldier’ in Latin.
- Milo – This name is rising through the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. In Slavic languages, it means ‘dear’ or ‘beloved’. In Greek, ‘yew flower’.
- Monte – A Latin name meaning ‘mountain’.
- Mordechai – Meaning ‘warrior’. This name is found in the Old Testament book of Esther.
- Moses – Moses was given this name after he was rescued from his basket on the river. It means ‘pulled from the water’.
We hope you’ve found a magical moniker on this list. If the search continues, why not try out some more of our naming lists?
👶 More baby name guides:
90 Baby Boy Names that Start with A
64 Boy Names that Start With B
61 Boy Names That Start With C
106 Baby Boy Names That Start With D
75 Baby Boy Names That Start With E
51 Baby Boy Names That Start With F
89 Baby Boy Names That Start With G
88 Baby Boy Names That Start With H
35 Baby Boy Names That Start With I
79 Boy Names that Start with J
Baby Boy Names That Start With K
85 Baby Boy Names that Start With L
32 Nifty Baby Boy Names that Start with N
39 Baby Boy Names That Start With O
31 Baby Boy Names that Start with P
36 Baby Boy Names That Start With Q
59 Baby Boy Names That Start with R
113 Baby Boy Names that Start With T
38 Boy Names That Start With U
155 Baby Boy Names That Start With V
72 Baby Boy Names That Start With W
57 Baby Boy Names that Start With X
80 Baby Boy Names that Start With Y
72 Boy Names That Start With Z
