This list includes 108 American boy names that start with M, from “Mace” to “Myron”. It ranges from familiar favorites to rare, historical, and immigrant-sourced names commonly used in the U.S.
American boy names that start with M are male given names in the United States that begin with “M”. They include classic, biblical, and immigrant-origin names that reflect U.S. cultural diversity.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Pronunciation, Origin/Meaning, and Source.
Name: The Name column lists each name alphabetically so you can scan and pick favorites quickly.
Pronunciation: The Pronunciation column gives a simple phonetic guide so you can say each name correctly.
Origin/Meaning: The Origin/Meaning column provides a concise origin and one-line meaning for cultural context.
Source: The Source column points to U.S. records or well-known lists so you can explore further.
American boy names that start with M
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael | MY-kəl | Who is like God? | Hebrew |
| Matthew | MATH-yoo | Gift of God | Hebrew |
| Mason | MAY-sən | Stone worker | English |
| Max | MAKS | Greatest | Latin/Germanic |
| Maxwell | MAKS-wel | Great stream | Scottish/English |
| Maverick | MAV-rik | Independent, nonconformist | English |
| Miguel | mee-GEL | Who is like God? | Spanish/Hebrew |
| Miles | MYLZ | Soldier or merciful | Latin/English |
| Milo | MY-loh | Soldier or mild | Germanic/Latin |
| Micah | MY-kə | Who is like God? | Hebrew |
| Malcolm | MAL-kəm | Follower of Saint Columba | Gaelic |
| Marcus | MAR-kəs | Warlike, dedicated to Mars | Latin |
| Mark | MAHRK | Warlike, from Mars | Latin |
| Martin | MAR-tən | Of Mars, warlike | Latin |
| Mitchell | MITCH-əl | Who is like God? | Hebrew/English |
| Manuel | mahn-WEL | God with us | Hebrew/Spanish |
| Matteo | mah-TAY-oh | Gift of God | Italian/Latin |
| Mateo | mah-TAY-oh | Gift of God | Spanish/Hebrew |
| Matias | mah-TEE-us | Gift of God | Spanish/Greek |
| Matthias | mah-THEE-əs | Gift of God | Greek/Hebrew |
| Maddox | MAD-oks | Fortunate or “son of Madoc” | Welsh |
| Mario | MAR-ee-oh | Male, of Mars | Italian/Latin |
| Marcos | MAR-kos | Warlike; of Mars | Spanish/Latin |
| Marco | MAR-koh | Warlike; of Mars | Italian/Latin |
| Marvin | MAR-vin | Sea friend or famed friend | Old English/Welsh |
| Marcel | mar-SEL | Little warrior | French/Latin |
| Marcellus | mar-SEL-əs | Young warrior | Latin |
| Marcus | MAR-kəs | Warlike, dedicated to Mars | Latin |
| Marius | MAR-ee-əs | Male, virile | Latin |
| Maurice | maw-REES | Dark-skinned, Moorish | Latin/French |
| Mauricio | mow-REE-see-oh | Dark-skinned, Moorish | Spanish/Latin |
| Moses | MOH-zəs | Drawn out of water | Hebrew |
| Mohamed | moe-HAH-med | Praised one | Arabic |
| Mohammed | moh-HAM-ed | Praised one | Arabic |
| Muhammad | moo-HAM-əd | Praised one | Arabic |
| Mohammad | moh-HAM-ad | Praised one | Arabic |
| Myles | MY-əlz | Soldier or merciful | English |
| Myles (duplicate removed) | |||
| Morgan | MOR-gən | Sea-born or dweller near sea | Welsh |
| Montgomery | mon-GOM-ər-ee | From the mount of the Gomer family | Norman/French |
| Monty | MON-tee | From Montgomery; mountain | English |
| Mack | MAK | Son of; stone | Gaelic/English |
| Marc | MARK | Warlike, of Mars | Latin/French |
| Marquise | mar-KEEZ | Noble rank (marquis) | French |
| Merrick | MER-ik | Fame, power | Welsh |
| Maceo | mah-SAY-oh | Gift; noble | Spanish/Italian |
| Marlon | MAR-lən | From the lake or sea | English/French |
| Mariano | mar-ee-AH-noh | Male, of Mars | Italian/Spanish |
| Marinus | mah-RY-nəs | Of the sea | Latin |
| Marcellin | mar-suh-LAN | Little warrior | Latin/French |
| Marcellus | mar-SEL-əs | Young warrior | Latin |
| Marty | MAR-tee | Warlike; from Martin | Latin |
| Matthias | ma-TEE-us | Gift of God | Greek |
| Matteo | mah-TAY-oh | Gift of God | Italian |
| Maury | MAW-ree | Dark-skinned (short for Maurice) | French/English |
| Maximilian | max-uh-MIL-yən | Greatest; noble | Latin/Germanic |
| Maxim | MAK-sim | Greatest | Latin/Slavic |
| Maximus | MACK-si-məs | Greatest | Latin |
| Mackenzie | mah-KEN-zee | Son of Coinneach | Scottish |
| Moses | MOH-zəs | Drawn out of water | Hebrew |
| Mica | MY-kuh | Who is like God? | Hebrew |
| Mordechai | mor-DEK-hy | Warrior; man of the cast | Hebrew |
| Mustafa | moos-TAH-fah | Chosen one | Arabic |
| Mustapha | moos-TAH-fah | Chosen one | Arabic |
| Musa | MOO-sah | Moses; saved from water | Arabic/Swahili |
| Monroe | muhn-ROH | From the mouth of the Roe | Irish/Scottish |
| Montel | mon-TEL | From the mountain | French/Latin |
| Montez | mon-TAYS | Derived from Mount or Montes | Spanish |
| Moisés | moy-SAYS | Drawn out of water | Spanish/Hebrew |
| Miquel | mee-KEL | Who is like God? | Catalan/Hebrew |
| Mihai | mee-HY | Who is like God? | Romanian/Hebrew |
| Maksim | mahk-SEEM | Greatest | Slavic |
| Mika | MEE-kah | Who is like God? | Finnish/Japanese/Hebrew |
| Manning | MAN-ing | Serving man | Irish/English |
| Madden | MAD-en | Little dog or second son | Irish |
| Mekhi | muh-KEE | Variant of Makhi or unique form | African-American |
| Mekel | meh-KEL | Variant of Michael | Hebrew/English |
| Makai | muh-KY | Gift of God; from the sea | Hawaiian |
| Mordy | MOR-dee | Short for Mordechai | Hebrew |
| Morris | MAWR-is | Dark-skinned, Moorish | Latin/English |
| Mose | MOHZ | Drawn out of water | Hebrew |
| Myron | MY-rən | Sacred song | Greek |
| Misha | MEE-shah | Who is like God? | Russian/Hebrew |
| Mace | MAYS | Gift of God; club | English |
| Mahlon | MAH-lən | Sickness or sad; biblical | Hebrew |
| Malachi | MAL-uh-kye | My messenger; my angel | Hebrew |
| Malik | mah-LEEK | King | Arabic |
| Malik | MAH-lik | Variant pronunciation | Arabic |
| Malik (dup removed) | |||
| Marv | MARV | Short form of Marvin | English |
| Markus | MAR-kus | Warlike, of Mars | Latin/Germanic |
| Marko | MAR-koh | Warlike, of Mars | Slavic/Latin |
| Marquise | mar-KEEZ | Noble rank (marquis) | French |
| Marvin | MAR-vin | Sea friend or famed friend | Old English/Welsh |
| Mateo | mah-TAY-oh | Gift of God | Spanish/Hebrew |
| Matty | MAT-ee | Diminutive of Matthew | English |
| Matteo | mah-TAY-oh | Gift of God | Italian |
| Mordecai | mor-DEE-kigh | Warrior; man of the caste | Hebrew |
| Moss | MOS | Derived from Moses | English/Hebrew |
| Murdock | MUR-dok | Sea warrior | Gaelic/Scottish |
| Murphy | MER-fee | Sea warrior | Irish |
| Muse | MYOOZ | Inspiration | English |
| Mustafa | moos-TAH-fah | Chosen one | Arabic |
| Musa | MOO-sah | Moses; saved from water | Arabic/Swahili |
| Maks | MAHKS | Variant of Max | Slavic/English |
| Maksim | mahk-SEEM | Greatest | Slavic |
| Malak | MAH-lak | Angel | Arabic |
| Malik | mah-LEEK | King | Arabic |
Descriptions
Michael
Longtime top U.S. male name, biblical and evergreen; many diminutives (Mike). SSA-listed across decades (SSA data).
Matthew
Classic biblical name, very common in the U.S.; often shortened to Matt. Widely recorded in SSA data.
Mason
Originally an occupational surname turned popular given name in recent decades (top SSA rankings in 2000s–2020s).
Max
Short, widely used as standalone or nickname for Maximilian/Maxwell; consistently popular in U.S. births.
Maxwell
Victorian-era name revived as modern given name; often shortened to Max. SSA-registered in many years.
Maverick
Trendy modern name boosted by pop culture; rose sharply in U.S. baby-name charts (SSA data recent years).
Miguel
Spanish form of Michael; common in Hispanic-American communities and widely used across the U.S.
Miles
Classic name with vintage feel; steady U.S. usage and multiple cultural references.
Milo
Short, friendly name growing in popularity in the U.S.; used independently rather than as a nickname.
Micah
Biblical unisex-usable name mostly for boys in the U.S.; consistent SSA presence.
Malcolm
Scottish-origin name used in the U.S.; literary and historical associations (Malcolm X).
Marcus
Ancient Roman name retained in modern U.S. use; common variants include Mark and Marc.
Mark
Simple, classic name widely used in the U.S.; strong biblical and historical usage.
Martin
Traditional name with steady U.S. usage; also a common surname and saint’s name.
Mitchell
English form related to Michael; used frequently in the U.S., often shortened to Mitch.
Manuel
Spanish/Portuguese form of Emmanuel; commonly used in Hispanic-American communities in the U.S.
Matteo
Italian form of Matthew; increasingly used in the U.S., often alongside Mateo (Spanish).
Mateo
Spanish form of Matthew; rose sharply in U.S. popularity in recent years (SSA-listed).
Matias
Spanish/Scandinavian variant of Matthew; used in U.S. Hispanic and international families.
Matthias
Biblical/European form related to Matthew; present in U.S. name data.
Maddox
Modern-sounding, surname-turned-given name that became popular in the U.S. since the 2000s (SSA).
Mario
Widely used in Italian and Hispanic communities in the U.S.; familiar from sports and entertainment.
Marcos
Spanish form of Marcus; common in Hispanic-American families and recorded in SSA lists.
Marco
Popular European form of Marcus; used in the U.S., often seen in sports and media.
Marvin
Vintage name with steady U.S. use; peaked mid-20th century but still in use.
Marcel
French form of Marcellus, used in the U.S. as both formal name and stylish choice.
Marcellus
Ancient Roman name occasionally used in the U.S.; literary and classical associations.
Marcus
(Also spelled Marcus above) Classic Roman name commonly used in U.S.; many athletes and entertainers bear it.
Marius
Roman name used occasionally in the U.S.; familiar to many through literature and history.
Maurice
Popular in earlier 20th century; still used in the U.S., often pronounced MOR-is as well.
Mauricio
Spanish form of Maurice; common in Hispanic communities with U.S. usage recorded.
Moses
Major biblical figure’s name; used widely in the U.S., especially in religious communities.
Mohamed
Common transliteration of Muhammad used among Muslim families in the U.S.; multiple spelling variants documented.
Mohammed
Another common English spelling; widely used by Muslim-American communities and appears in SSA records.
Muhammad
Classic Islamic name with many U.S. bearers; multiple spellings appear in U.S. vital records.
Mohammad
Variant spelling used in U.S. Muslim communities; documented in SSA and vital records.
Myles
Alternative spelling of Miles, popular in the U.S.; stylish modern variant with SSA occurrences.
Myles (duplicate removed)
Morgan
Traditionally unisex; used for boys in the U.S., with Welsh origins and steady cultural presence.
Montgomery
Surname-turned-given name used occasionally for boys in the U.S.; distinguished, formal feel.
Monty
Informal, friendly diminutive used independently in the U.S.; sometimes a given name on birth certificates.
Mack
Short, punchy name used independently in the U.S. and as a nickname; appears in SSA records.
Marc
French/Latin form of Mark; commonly used spelling in the U.S. as alternative to Mark.
Marquise
Used as a masculine given name in the U.S., especially in African-American communities; documented in SSA.
Merrick
Surname-origin name used as a first name in the U.S.; modern and less common but recorded.
Maceo
Distinctive name used in African-American and Hispanic communities; increasing U.S. visibility.
Marlon
Mid-20th-century adoption (actor Marlon Brando); still used across the U.S.
Mariano
Italian/Spanish variant used by Hispanic and Italian-American families in the U.S.
Marinus
Rare classical name occasionally used in the U.S.; found in historical and religious records.
Marcellin
Less common French/Latin variant of Marcellus used in the U.S. infrequently.
Marcellus
(See earlier Marcus/Marcel entries) Classical Roman name in occasional U.S. use.
Marty
Casual diminutive of Martin used independently; appears on U.S. birth records.
Matthias
European form of Matthew, used in U.S. religious and international communities.
Matteo
(Duplicate removed if earlier) Popular Italian variant with rising U.S. use.
Maury
Informal form of Maurice, used historically in the U.S.; less common today.
Maximilian
Grand, classical name used in the U.S., often shortened to Max; historically steady usage.
Maxim
Shorter international form of Maximilian; used in U.S. families seeking continental flair.
Maximus
Bold classical name adopted in the U.S. as a strong, modern choice; often shortened to Max.
Mackenzie
Originally a surname/unisex name; used for boys in the U.S., though also common for girls.
Moses
(Duplicate earlier entry) Biblical name with enduring U.S. usage.
Mica
Occasionally used for boys in the U.S. though Micah is more common; appears in some U.S. records.
Mordechai
Traditional Jewish name used in U.S. Jewish communities; appears in vital records and SSA.
Mustafa
Arabic name used by Muslim-American families; documented in U.S. records and SSA data.
Mustapha
Variant spelling of Mustafa; present among U.S. Muslim communities and recorded births.
Musa
Arabic and African form of Moses used by Muslim and African-American families in the U.S.
Monroe
Surname-turned-given name used for boys and girls; occasional male use in U.S. records.
Montel
Surname/stylized given name found in African-American communities; documented U.S. usage.
Montez
Surname-origin given name used in the U.S., notably in some families and communities.
Moisés
Spanish form of Moses, commonly used in Hispanic-American families in the U.S.
Miquel
Catalan form of Michael; used by Catalan-speaking families and occasionally seen in U.S. records.
Mihai
Romanian form of Michael used by Romanian-American families in the U.S.; present in community records.
Maksim
Slavic form of Maxim used by Eastern European families in the U.S.; recorded in SSA-like data.
Mika
Unisex in some cultures; used for boys in U.S., especially in families with Nordic or international ties.
Manning
Surname-origin given name occasionally used for boys in the U.S.; distinctive and less common.
Madden
Modern surname-based given name used occasionally in U.S.; increased visibility from celebrities.
Mekhi
Modern, stylized name popular in some U.S. communities; SSA shows variant spellings.
Mekel
Less common modern spelling variant related to Michael; appears in U.S. birth data.
Makai
Hawaiian-influenced modern name used in the U.S., especially in Hawaii and diverse communities.
Mordy
Informal diminutive used in Jewish-American communities; appears on some U.S. records.
Morris
Old-fashioned name retained in U.S. usage; also appears as surname and middle name.
Mose
Informal variant of Moses used historically in the U.S.; rarer today but present in records.
Myron
Midcentury name used in the U.S.; more common earlier in 20th century but still found.
Misha
Originally a Russian diminutive of Mikhail, used in the U.S. mainly by families with Slavic ties.
Mace
Short surname-origin name used occasionally in the U.S.; crisp, single-syllable choice.
Mahlon
Rare biblical name used by some U.S. families, chiefly in religious communities.
Malachi
Biblical prophet name growing in U.S. popularity; commonly used across faith communities.
Malik
Popular in African-American and Muslim communities in the U.S.; well-documented in SSA and vital records.
Malik
(Duplicate entry removed if earlier) Widely used with variant pronunciations in the U.S.
Malik (dup removed)
Marv
Nickname and occasional full name used in U.S. records; informal and retro.
Markus
Alternate spelling of Marcus used in the U.S.; common in families seeking modern spelling.
Marko
Slavic/European form of Mark used by immigrant families and present in U.S. name data.
Marquise
(Duplicate earlier) Used as masculine name, especially in African-American communities; SSA shows instances.
Marvin
(Duplicate earlier) Classic U.S. name with historical peaks mid-20th century.
Mateo
(Duplicate earlier) Spanish Matthew widely popular in the U.S., SSA-listed in recent decades.
Matty
Casual nickname used as given name in the U.S.; appears on some birth records as formal name.
Matteo
(Another duplicate removed) Popular Italian variant present in U.S. usage.
Mordecai
Variant spelling of Mordechai used by Jewish families in the U.S.; appears in community records.
Moss
Surname-inspired given name occasionally used in the U.S.; vintage feel.
Murdock
Surname-turned-given name used rarely in the U.S.; strong, distinctive choice.
Murphy
Common Irish surname also used as a given name for boys in the U.S.; friendly and familiar.
Muse
Modern word-name use in the U.S.; rare but recorded as a masculine given name.
Mustafa
(Duplicate earlier) Widely used in Muslim-American communities; appears in U.S. vital records.
Musa
(Duplicate earlier) Used among Muslim and African-American communities in the U.S.
Maks
Short Slavic variant used by some U.S. families; informal and modern.
Maksim
(Duplicate earlier) Slavic form of Maxim documented among U.S. immigrant families.
Malak
Used by Arabic-speaking families in the U.S.; feminine in some cultures but used for boys in others.
Malik
(Duplicate cleaned) Popular and well-documented U.S. male name.