The 10 Most Popular Boy Names That Start with ‘M’

Deciding on a baby name isn’t always the easiest thing that a couple has to deal with. While it might seem like it should be a simple thing, potential parents spend months trying to figure out what sounds the best for their expected little one, reading popular name books and talking amongst friends before actually landing on a decision. There’s the case of what’s trendy, what’s absurd and what’s traditional. Should their baby be named after a family member, or try to start its own legacy? With so many different choices and tough decisions, at the very least, narrowing it down to what letter the name will start with is a pretty good step to get to. And with the letter ‘M’ being one of the most prominent in the alphabet that people tend to lean on, I figured it would be a good idea to give the top names for boys starting with the letter. So for any of those out there struggling to find that ideal name, here are some suggestions—whether you steer clear or decide to use them.

10. Max

For those who think that their baby is the absolute greatest, the name Max is the way to go. That’s because, after a brief hiatus as being popular, it has made a serious comeback over the past 15 years, with a bunch of celebs opting with the name for their babies. With various Nobel Prize winners with the name, it has a history of being associated with people doing remarkable things—and has some awesome alternative, full names like Maximum and Maximillian.

9. Marcus

Most famous from the Shakespearean play Titus Andronicus, the name Marcus is still extremely popular amongst babies today. While it was at its most popular during the Roman times, that hasn’t prevented kids born in various parts of the world to end up with it as their first name.

8. Martin

With a strong leader like Martin Luther King Jr. as the most famous person who holds this name, it’s easy to see why it remains to be so popular, even today. It may derive from the Roman God of War, but that hasn’t scared off parents from continuing to use it to name their sons. It’s one of those names that has probably dipped in popularity over the years, but somehow remains more prevalent than some names you might think of first.

7. Moses

Although it tends to have a Hebrew meaning, the name Moses is one of the most popular ‘M’ names on the planet. While most of those kids are probably of Jewish descent, it’d be foolish to think that all of them are. I was actually a little surprised that it remains one of the more popular names in the world, but it seems that parts outside of the U.S. have remained to stay true in naming their boys after the Prophet.

6. Mason

When tracing the name Mason back to its roots, it actually means “stoneworker,” giving whomever bears it the blue-collar attitude that many associate it with from its early days. However, as it has been chosen more and more—it was actually No. 2 on the most popular boys’ names in 2011—it seems that everyone from celebrities to non-celebs have ended their search with this, regardless of what the true meaning is.

5. Micah

I’ve only met a few people named Micah in my life, so I was always under the impression that it was pretty unique. Seeing it land as the No. 5 ‘M’ name, though, proves that it’s much more prominent in other parts of the world—or at least outside of wherever I’ve been hanging out. Most likely coming from the prophet and writer from the Bible, it seems that more parents are choosing to go with this alternative to others who settle on the name Michael, which is a slight variant of Micah.

4. Morgan

The name Morgan is one of those that is transparent thanks to both boys and girls being able to own the name, as there aren’t too many unisex names that work as well as it does. Although it tends to be more popular amongst baby girls in the U.S. over the past decade or so, it still sits at No. 4 amongst boys’ names all over the world, as it’s just edgy enough to break the classic mold, but isn’t as bold as some of the other options out there.

3. Mark

I mentioned the name Marcus earlier, but Mark is just the shorter, a little bit hipper version of that—and also one of the all-time favorites of parents everywhere. Another example of a religious background as one of the Apostles, there are many examples of popular and successful people with the name Mark, and, while it may fall into the more traditional category more recently, it’s still a timeless choice for parents to name their son.

2. Matthew

I might as well just call the name Matthew Mr. Old Reliable, because it continues to be one of the most popular names on the planet—not just one that starts with the letter ‘M’. Another example of a Biblical name as one of the twelve Apostles and author of the New Testament, it is a name that many prominent actors, athletes and entertainers call as their own, meaning there’s inspiration for the young ones to try and model themselves after with the same name.

1. Michael

It’s probably no shock that the name Michael falls atop this list, seeing how everyone probably knows a handful of people who own the name. Whether it be due to the fact that parents name their boys this because of the relation to the Biblical meaning as one of the seven angels who defeat demons in the book of Revelation, or just because it’s something comfortable as an “evergreen” name, Michael has stood the test of time and will continue to stay popular in all different types of cultures.

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