Choosing a name for your baby boy is such an exciting part of preparing for his arrival. If you’re searching for boy names that start with M, you’ll find familiar choices like Matthew and Michael alongside names you may be hearing for the first time.

Each name includes a meaning or origin to give you more context as you make a shortlist.

Boy Names That Start With M

The names are grouped by style, and each section is arranged alphabetically so you can compare your favorites more easily.

10 Popular Boy Names That Start With M

According to 2025 data from the Social Security Administration, these M boy names ranked in the U.S. top 1,000. They are listed alphabetically, not by rank.¹

1. Mark — Latin for “warlike.”

2. Mason — This is an English occupational name for a stone worker.

3. Mateo — A Spanish name meaning “gift of God.”

4. Matthew — This name means “gift of God” in Hebrew.

5. Maverick — English for “independent” or “nonconformist.”

6. Maxwell — A Scottish name meaning “great stream.”

7. Micah — Hebrew for “who is like the Lord.”

8. Michael — Hebrew for “who is like God.”

9. Miles — This name means “soldier” or “merciful” in English.

10. Milo — Latin and Old German for “soldier” or “merciful.”

19 Old-Fashioned Boy Names That Start With M

Names such as Magnus, Manfred, Melvin, and Montague give this section its distinctly vintage feel.

1. Macbeth — A Scottish name meaning “son of life.”

2. Magnus — This Scandinavian name means “greatest.”

3. Manfred — German for “man of peace.”

4. Marceau — This name means “little warrior” in French.

5. Marcel — This name is also French for “little warrior.”

6. Martin — Latin for “warlike.”

7. Maurice — An English and French name meaning “dark-skinned.”

8. Maury — This name also means “dark-skinned” in English.

9. Maximilian — The meaning of this name is “greatest” in Latin.

10. Melville — A Scottish name meaning “settlement on infertile land.”

11. Melvin — English and Scottish for “council protector.”

12. Mercutio — Shakespeare used this name in “Romeo and Juliet.” It is probably related to Mercury.

13. Merrill — This name means “sea bright” in English.

14. Mervyn — Welsh for “sea hill.”

15. Moe — An English short form of Maurice, Morris, or another name beginning with a similar sound.

16. Montague — This name means “pointy hill” in French.

17. Morty — English for “dead sea.”

18. Muhammad — An Arabic name meaning “praiseworthy.”

19. Muriel — This Irish name means “of the bright sea.”

26 Cute Boy Names That Start With M

1. Mackenzie — A Scottish name meaning “son of Kenneth.”

2. Magee — This Irish name means “son of Hugh.”

3. Makana — This name means “gift” in Hawaiian.

4. Mandy — Italian and Portuguese for “soldier.”

5. Manny — This name means “God is with us” in Hebrew.

6. Marcello — Italian and Spanish for “young warrior.”

7. Mariano — An Italian and Spanish name meaning “relating to the god Mars.”

8. Marley — This name means “pleasant seaside meadow” in English.

9. Marquis — This is a rank of nobleman in between duke and count. It’s an Old French word meaning “march.”

10. Maruf — In Arabic, this name means “kindness.”

11. Matty — Hebrew for “gift of God.”

12. Mauricio — This name means “dark-skinned” in Spanish.

13. Merry — An English name meaning “joyful.”

14. Mickey — In Hebrew, this name means “who is like God.”

15. Miggy — Short for Miguel, this nickname is Spanish for “God-like.”

16. Mikey — Hebrew for “who is like God.”

17. Miko — A Finnish variant of Mikko, a form of Michael.

18. Ming — Chinese for “shining bright.”

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19. Misha — A Russian name meaning “who is like God.”

20. Mitt — This name means “settlement with a mill” in English.

21. Moby — This name means “great white whale” in English.

22. Momo — Japanese for “peach.”

23. Monty — This name means “pointy hill” in English.

24. Moon — English for “one who enlightens the night.”

25. Mortimer — An English name meaning “dead sea.”

26. Mowgli — A literary name created by Rudyard Kipling for “The Jungle Book.”

25 Modern Boy Names That Start With M

1. Macklin — A Scottish name meaning “son of the servant of Saint John.”

2. Maddox — Welsh for “son of Madoc.”

3. Magic — An English word name associated with wonder.

4. Maine — French for “mainland.”

5. Majestic — An English word name associated with grandeur.

6. Major — This is a military rank and means “greater” in Latin.

7. Makai — A modern variant of Mekhi with an uncertain etymology.

8. Marvel — This name means “to be filled with wonder or astonishment” in English.

9. Maven — A Hebrew name meaning “one who understands.”

10. Maxton — English for “greatest.”

11. Mayhem — This name means “chaos” in English.

12. Maze — The meaning of this name is “gift of God” in Breton.

13. Mega — This name means “clouds” in Sanskrit and “big” in Greek.

14. Mercy — The meaning of this name is “compassion” in English.

15. Meteor — This is an English name for a streak of light in the sky or a celestial object entering the earth’s atmosphere.

16. Mighty — English for “powerful.”

17. Million — This name symbolizes wealth in English.

18. Minor — A Latin name meaning “younger.”

19. Miracle — Latin for “wonder” or “marvel.”

20. Mirage — In French, this name means “fantasy” or “illusion.”

21. Money — English for “currency.”

22. Monte — A Norman name meaning “manpower.”

23. Music — An English word name for the arrangement of sound that creates harmony, melody, or rhythm.

24. Myles — English for “soldier” or “merciful.”

25. Mystery — This name means “unexplained” in English.

9 Common Boy Names That Start With M

1. Madison — This name means “son of Matthew” in English.

2. Marco — Italian and Spanish for “warlike.”

3. Marcus — A Latin name meaning “warlike.”

4. Mario — This Italian name also means “warlike.”

5. Marshall — English for “one who looks after horses.”

6. Miguel — This name means “who is like God” in Spanish and Portuguese.

7. Mitchell — This English name also means “who is like God.”

8. Morgan — Welsh for “seaborn” or “sea-circle.”

9. Murphy — An Irish name meaning “sea warrior.”

27 Cool Boy Names That Start With M

1. Madden — This Irish name means “little dog.”

2. Mads — A Danish name meaning “gift of God.”

3. Makaveli — English for “bad nail” or “king of light.”

4. Maloney — An Irish name meaning “devotee of the church.”

5. Malthe — Danish for “rule” or “power.”

6. Manolo — The meaning of this name is “God is with us” in Spanish.

7. Marlon — In Old French, this name means “little hawk.”

8. Marsden — English for “boundary valley.”

9. Marshawn — This name means “God is gracious” in Hebrew and Latin.

10. Marv — Welsh for “sea hill.”

11. Marx — This name means “warlike” in Latin.

12. Massimo — The meaning of this name is “the greatest” in Latin.

13. Mat, Matt — Hebrew for “gift of God.”

14. Max — An English name meaning “greatest.”

15. Mayer — German for “landlord” or “farmer.”

16. Meinrad — In German, this name means “strong adviser.”

17. Mendoza — This name means “cold mountain” in Basque.

18. Mercer — This is a French occupational name for a merchant.

19. Mercury — Latin for “Roman messenger God.”

20. Mick — English for “who is like God.”

21. Mikael — A Scandinavian name meaning “who is like God.”

22. Mike — This name also means “who is like God” in English.

23. Mitch — Hebrew for “who is like God.”

24. Modu — This Chinese name means “hero.”

25. Moore — An English name meaning “the moors.”

26. Morris — English for “dark-skinned.”

27. Mustafa — An Arabic name meaning “the chosen one.”

25 Badass Boy Names That Start With M

1. Macaulay — Scottish for “son of righteousness.”

2. Macgyver — A Scottish name meaning “son of Ivor.”

3. Maguire — This Irish name means “son of the beige one.”

4. Mahershala — Hebrew for “swift to the plunder.”

5. Mahihkan — This name means “wolf” in Cree.

6. Malik — Arabic for “king” and Greenlandic for “wave.”

7. Malloy — An Irish name meaning “noble chief.”

8. Mandela — This name is inspired by the late Nelson Mandela, a former President of South Africa. The meaning is unknown.

9. Mars — This is a Latin name and the god of war in Roman mythology.

10. Martinez — Spanish for “son of Martin.”

11. Maui — The name of a demigod in Polynesian traditions and of the Hawaiian island.

12. Maximo — In Latin, this name means “greatest.”

13. Mazin — An Arabic name meaning “rain clouds.”

14. McCallister — This name means “son of Alasdair” in Gaelic.

15. McClain — Gaelic for “son of the servant of Saint John.”

16. Meriwether — English for “happy weather.”

17. Merlin — This name means “sea fortress” in Welsh.

18. Michelangelo — Italian for “messenger who is like God.”

19. Mingus — A Scottish name meaning “tenants of a manor.”

20. Monroe — This Scottish name means “mouth of the Roe river.”

21. Morpheus — This is the god of sleep and dreams in Greek mythology.

22. Morrison — English for “son of Morris.”

23. Motley — The meaning of this name is “mixed” or “varied” in English.

24. Mozart — German for “bog” or “marsh.”

25. Mufasa — A literary name best known from Disney’s “The Lion King.”

23 Strong Boy Names That Start With M

1. Macgregor — A Scottish name meaning “son of Gregor.”

2. Magnar — This name means “strength” in Norse.

3. Mahesh — The meaning of this name is “great ruler” in Sanskrit.

4. Malin — This name means “strong” in English and “little warrior” in Sanskrit.

5. Malone — An Irish name meaning “a devotee of Saint John.”

6. Marcellus — Latin for “young warrior.”

7. Marimo — In Spanish, this name means “manly.”

8. Masaru — Japanese for “victory” or “excellence.”

9. Maximus — The meaning of this name is “greatest” in Latin.

10. Maynard — German for “brave” or “strong.”

11. Mazhar — This name means “honored” in Turkish.

12. McCarthy — An Irish name meaning “son of Cárthach.”

13. McCoy — This name means “fire” in Irish.

14. McKinley — This Scottish name means “son of the fair hero.”

15. McNeil — Gaelic for “son of Neil.”

16. Melech — A Hebrew name meaning “king.”

17. Merrick — Welsh for “fame and power.”

18. Montell — This name means “mountain” in French.

19. Montez — Spanish for “dweller in the mountains.”

20. Montezuma — Nahuatl for “Lord frowns in anger.”

21. Moose — An English animal name inspired by the large deer species.

22. Morrissey — An Irish name meaning “descendant of Muiris.”

23. Murdoch — This Scottish name means “mariner.”

14 Southern Boy Names That Start With M

1. Mac, Mack — This name is Scottish and Irish for “son of.”

2. Macdonald — A Scottish name meaning “son of Donald.”

3. Macon — French for “stone worker” or “marsh dweller.”

4. Malcolm — A Scottish name meaning “devotee of St. Colomba.”

5. Manning — This Irish name means “monk.”

6. Marmaduke — An Irish name meaning “servant of Madoc.”

7. Marvin — Welsh for “sea hill.”

8. Memphis — This name means “enduring and beautiful” in Greek.

9. Merle — French for “blackbird.”

10. Merritt — An English name meaning “boundary gate.”

11. Miller — This is an English occupational name for someone who grinds grain.

12. Milton — English for “settlement with a mill.”

13. Montana — Spanish for “mountainous.”

14. Montgomery — A Norman name meaning “manpower.”

14 Biblical Boy Names That Start With M

1. Mahlon — Hebrew for “sickly.”

2. Malachi — This name means “my messenger” in Hebrew.

3. Matthias — An Aramaic name meaning “gift of God.”

4. Medad — This name means “love” in Hebrew.

5. Melchior — A traditional name for one of the Magi, possibly meaning “king of light.”

6. Menahem — Hebrew for “the comforter.”

7. Merari — In Hebrew, this name means “bitter.”

8. Messiah — This name means “expected savior or deliverer” in Aramaic.

9. Methuselah — A Hebrew name meaning “man of the dart.”

10. Midian — Hebrew for “strife.”

11. Moab — This name means “from my father” in Hebrew.

12. Mordecai — Hebrew for “follower of Marduk.”

13. Moses — A biblical name with Hebrew and Egyptian roots; its exact etymology is uncertain.

14. Moza — This name means “fountain” or “going forth” in Hebrew.

51 Unique Boy Names That Start With M

1. Macario — Spanish for “blessed.”

2. Maclin — A Scottish name meaning “son of the servant of Saint John.”

3. Madi — This Arabic name means “to praise.”

4. Maheer — An Arabic name meaning “brave.”

5. Maksen — Welsh for “the greatest.”

6. Malakai — In Hebrew, this name means “my angel.”

7. Manan — The meaning of this name is “meditate” in Hindi.

8. Manas — This name means “intelligence” in Hindi.

9. Mansour — An Arabic name meaning “he who is victorious.”

10. Marc — French and Welsh for “warlike.”

11. Marci — This name means “warlike” in Latin.

12. Marius — Latin for “manly” or “dedicated to Mars.”

13. Marko — Spanish for “warlike.”

14. Markus — A German and Finnish name meaning “warlike.”

15. Marlowe — The meaning of this name is “driftwood” in English.

16. Marquan — A combination of “leader” in Chinese and “warlike” in Latin.

17. Marquise — This is an uncommon spelling of “Marquis,” an English name for the rank of nobleman between duke and count.

18. Marshell — English for “one who looks after horses.”

19. Mase — In Old French, this name means “stone worker.”

20. Mateus — A Portuguese name meaning “gift of God.”

21. Matey — English for “buddy” or “friend.”

22. Matthieu — A French name meaning “gift of God.”

23. Mattia — This name means “gift of God” in Italian.

24. Maxime — French for “greatest.”

25. Maxx — An English and German name that also means “greatest.”

26. Mayson — This is an English occupational name for a stone worker.

27. Mazzi — This name means “sir” in Igbo.

28. McKade — A Scottish name meaning “from the wetlands.”

29. Mehki — English and Hebrew for “who is like God.”

30. Meiko — A Frisian masculine name derived from the Germanic element megin, meaning “strength” or “power.”

31. Meziah — This name means “anointed one” in Hebrew.

32. Micha — Hebrew for “who is like the Lord.”

33. Michel — A French and German name meaning “who is like God.”

34. Michi — Japanese for “path.”

35. Mika — A Finnish short form of Mikael, meaning “who is like God?”

36. Mikai — A modern name that may be a short form of Mikaiah or Micaiah.

37. Mikkel — A Scandinavian name meaning “enormous.”

38. Miklos — A Hungarian name meaning “people of victory.”

39. Milan — This Italian place name means “gracious.” It also means “union” in Sanskrit.

40. Millard — Latin for “caretaker of the mill.”

41. Milogost — A Slavic name meaning “gracious guest.”

42. Moises — This name means “delivered from the water” in Spanish and Portuguese.

43. Montego — Spanish for “mountainous.”

44. Moris — English and French for “dark-skinned.”

45. Mory — This name means “dark-skinned” or “mulberry” in French.

46. Moss — English for “descendant of Moses.”

47. Moussa — An Arabic and West African form of Musa, the Arabic form of Moses.

48. Moustafa — This name means “chosen” in Arabic.

49. Muna — The meaning of this name is “wishes” or “desires” in Arabic.

50. Munir — This name means “shining” in Arabic.

51. Myle — Greek for “mill.”

57 Rare Boy Names That Start With M

1. Maccabee — This name means “hammer” in Aramaic.

2. Macdara — An Irish name meaning “son of oak.”

3. Made — This name means “middle” in Sanskrit.

4. Magali — Greek for “pearl.”

5. Mahmoud — An Arabic name meaning “praiseworthy.”

6. Maison — French for “house.”

7. Majid — This Arabic name means “illustrious.”

8. Makram — The meaning of this name is “noble trait” in Arabic.

9. Manaaki — This name means “nourish, nurture, and protect” in Māori.

10. Manilla — Spanish for “handle” or “bracelet.”

11. Manjeet — This name means “spirit” and “victory” in Sanskrit.

12. Manuel — A Spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us.”

13. Manzu — This name means “running water” in Italian.

14. Margus — An Estonian name meaning “warlike.”

15. Markel — The meaning of this name is “dedicated to Mars” in German.

16. Massey — This name means “gift of God” in English.

17. Matei — Hebrew for “gift of God.”

18. Matisyahu — This name also means “gift of God” in Hebrew.

19. Mavi — This Turkish name means “blue.”

20. Mawgan — A Cornish name meaning “praise.”

21. Mayne — German for “brave.”

22. McKai — This Scottish name means “son of Kay.”

23. Mead — This name means “from the meadow” in English.

24. Meelis — An Estonian name meaning “mind.”

25. Mehmet — This Turkish name means “praiseworthy.”

26. Metztli — This name means “moon” in Nahuatl.

27. Michika — Japanese for “multiple.”

28. Milano — The meaning of this name is “from Milan” in Italian.

29. Milovan — A Slavic name meaning “love” or “caress.”

30. Minato — Japanese for “harbor.”

31. Minnu — The meaning of this name is “night sky” in Sanskrit.

32. Miroslav — This Slavic name means “peace and glory.”

33. Mithran — The meaning of this name is “the sun” in Hindi.

34. Mitul —  This name means “measured” in Sanskrit.

35. Mladen — Slavic for “young.”

36. Mohid — Arabic for “believing in one god.”

37. Moisey — This name means “delivered from the water” in Russian.

38. Montrell — Spanish and Italian for “mountain.”

39. Morandi — In Italian, this name means “son of Morando.”

40. Morice — English for “dark-skinned.”

41. Morley — An English name meaning “moor” or “meadow clearing.”

42. Moroz — Russian for “frost.”

43. Moshe — In Hebrew, this name means “son” or “deliver.”

44. Mosi — Swahili for “first child.”

45. Mostyn — This name means “moss town” in Welsh.

46. Motoki — Japanese for “submerged rock.”

47. Mpho — This name means “gift” in Tswana.

48. Mstislav — A Slavic name meaning “vengeance and glory.”

49. Mubin — Arabic for “distinct.”

50. Mugo — This name means “prophet” in Kikuyu.

51. Mukal — This name means “blossom” in Arabic.

52. Mumtaz — Arabic for “distinguished.”

53. Munachi — This name means “me and my God” in Igbo.

54. Murad — An Arabic name meaning “wish.”

55. Murari — This name means “Lord Krishna” in Sanskrit.

56. Murat — This Turkish name means “wish.”

57. Mylen — A Slavic name meaning “beloved.”

Once you have a shortlist, try each name with your last name and any middle names you’re considering. You may also want to think about the nicknames your family would naturally use.

For more ideas, visit our full baby names hub or continue with the related name lists below.

• Old-Fashioned Baby Names for Girls and Boys
• Cute Baby Boy Names
• Modern Baby Boy Names
• Cool Baby Boy Names
• Badass Baby Boy Names
• Strong and Powerful Baby Boy Names
• Country Baby Boy Names
• Biblical Baby Boy Names
• Unique Baby Boy Names
• Rare Baby Boy Names