US first names, 1940–2025
Random names that start with M
Michael, Mary, Matthew and thousands of rarer M names, paired with real American surnames. Hit generate until one fits.
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About M names
Between 1940 and 2025 the Social Security Administration recorded 14,773,954 girls across 5,664 different M names, and 12,690,637 boys across 2,817.
Each name is drawn with the odds it had in real life, so common names come up often and rare ones now and then. Surnames come from the 2000 U.S. Census and are picked separately. Set realism to 0 under more options and every name becomes equally likely.
More about these names
What the data says
- About 1 in 2 girls with a name starting with M born from 1940 to 2025 got one of just 10 names. Those 10 names hold 42.9% of all recorded girls with a name starting with M.
- Among girls with a name starting with M, names behave like 124 equally common names out of 5,664 in use (effective number of names).
- The average girl's name starting with M has 6.1 letters.
- About 1 in 2 boys with a name starting with M born from 1940 to 2025 got one of just 10 names. Those 10 names hold 68.9% of all recorded boys with a name starting with M.
- Among boys with a name starting with M, names behave like 26 equally common names out of 2,817 in use (effective number of names).
- The average boy's name starting with M has 6.2 letters.
- Fastest riser for girls: Maleni, from 54 births in 2006 to 2015 to 747 in 2016 to 2025.
- Biggest fall for girls: Maryssa, from 324 births in 2006 to 2015 to 24 in 2016 to 2025.
- Fastest riser for boys: Muhammadali, from 54 births in 2006 to 2015 to 685 in 2016 to 2025.
- Biggest fall for boys: Marcoantonio, from 322 births in 2006 to 2015 to 72 in 2016 to 2025.
Girls: Top 20 names
| # | Name | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary | 2,003,780 | 13.56% |
| 2 | Michelle | 816,103 | 5.52% |
| 3 | Melissa | 757,271 | 5.13% |
| 4 | Margaret | 555,505 | 3.76% |
| 5 | Maria | 502,784 | 3.40% |
| 6 | Megan | 439,979 | 2.98% |
| 7 | Madison | 419,806 | 2.84% |
| 8 | Mia | 310,213 | 2.10% |
| 9 | Martha | 272,672 | 1.85% |
| 10 | Melanie | 261,907 | 1.77% |
| 11 | Monica | 244,128 | 1.65% |
| 12 | Marilyn | 239,615 | 1.62% |
| 13 | Morgan | 223,616 | 1.51% |
| 14 | Michele | 222,821 | 1.51% |
| 15 | Marie | 200,190 | 1.36% |
| 16 | Molly | 166,201 | 1.12% |
| 17 | Madeline | 163,493 | 1.11% |
| 18 | Mackenzie | 141,274 | 0.96% |
| 19 | Melinda | 134,431 | 0.91% |
| 20 | Maureen | 130,029 | 0.88% |
Boys: Top 20 names
| # | Name | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | 4,289,297 | 33.80% |
| 2 | Matthew | 1,629,638 | 12.84% |
| 3 | Mark | 1,341,251 | 10.57% |
| 4 | Mason | 339,116 | 2.67% |
| 5 | Martin | 243,099 | 1.92% |
| 6 | Marcus | 232,968 | 1.84% |
| 7 | Miguel | 185,891 | 1.46% |
| 8 | Mike | 177,927 | 1.40% |
| 9 | Mitchell | 154,204 | 1.22% |
| 10 | Manuel | 151,715 | 1.20% |
| 11 | Marvin | 151,574 | 1.19% |
| 12 | Micheal | 150,128 | 1.18% |
| 13 | Mario | 140,660 | 1.11% |
| 14 | Melvin | 139,784 | 1.10% |
| 15 | Marc | 139,721 | 1.10% |
| 16 | Max | 127,317 | 1.00% |
| 17 | Mateo | 126,361 | 1.00% |
| 18 | Micah | 119,571 | 0.94% |
| 19 | Miles | 116,016 | 0.91% |
| 20 | Maxwell | 105,194 | 0.83% |
Girls: 2006 to 2015 → 2016 to 2025
Rising fastest
- Maleni 54 → 747
- Marigold 207 → 2,680
- Moon 30 → 384
- Murphy 355 → 3,718
- Maisley 38 → 358
Falling fastest
- Maryssa 324 → 24
- Makala 731 → 60
- Maegan 862 → 77
- Merissa 322 → 30
- Meaghan 577 → 57
Boys: 2006 to 2015 → 2016 to 2025
Rising fastest
- Muhammadali 54 → 685
- Melo 39 → 443
- Miran 36 → 391
- Mecca 83 → 654
- Mael 163 → 1,165
Falling fastest
- Marcoantonio 322 → 72
- Mateusz 375 → 84
- Marques 1,496 → 352
- Mitchel 572 → 180
- Mychael 301 → 108
Questions and answers
What was the most common girl's name starting with M from 1940 to 2025?
Mary. 2,003,780 girls received it, 13.56% of all recorded girls born from 1940 to 2025 with a name starting with M.
What was the most common boy's name starting with M from 1940 to 2025?
Michael. 4,289,297 boys received it, 33.80% of all recorded boys born from 1940 to 2025 with a name starting with M.
How concentrated are names from 1940 to 2025?
Among girls with a name starting with M the 10 most common names cover 42.9% of births; among boys with a name starting with M 68.9%. In this period boys' names were the more concentrated set.
What share of babies get a name starting with M?
Across 1940 to 2025, 9.0% of recorded births had a first name starting with M.
Which names grew fastest compared with 2006 to 2015?
Among names with at least 300 births in 2016 to 2025, the biggest gains were for girls, Maleni (54 births in 2006 to 2015, 747 in 2016 to 2025); for boys, Muhammadali (54 births in 2006 to 2015, 685 in 2016 to 2025).