Hebrew Names that Start With M
Across 3 pages
of 3
The names
Michael
Hebrew
"who is like God?"
Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names , it's still widely used. How has Michael racked up this phenomenal…
Matthew
Hebrew
"gift of God"
Matthew was the third most popular boys' name in America throughout the 1980s and '90s, and is still one of the top boy names starting with M . The New Testament Matthew is the epitome of the…
Maya
Sanskrit, English, Hebrew, Estonian
"illusion, magic; mother; water; beloved, bitter, drop of the sea"
Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel,…
Micah
Hebrew
"who is like the Lord"
The bright, playful Micah feels like the middle ground between the safe, solid qualities of Michael and the flair and energy of Luca. Both Biblical and stylish, Micah is proving popular among parents…
Mary
Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew…
Malachi
Hebrew
"my messenger"
An Old Testament name with a Gaelic lilt, Malachi entered the list in 1987. In the Bible, Malachi (pronounced with the final syllable as EYE), was the last of the twelve Hebrew prophets, who foretold…
Molly
Diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
"bitter"
Molly is one of the original nickname names, ALWAYS ranking among the US Top 500 girl names since statistics began, in 1880. Molly peaked in 1991 only to rise just as high again in 2011, and though…
Miriam
Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament…
Moshe
Hebrew
"son or deliver"
Moshe is the original Hebrew form of Moses, also spelled Mosheh. In the past it was changed to names like Morris, Moe and Maurice. The original Moshe has been drifting up the US popularity list for…
Mariah
Hebrew
"the Lord is my teacher; or drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Thanks to Mariah Carey, everyone now knows this name – and is aware that Mariah's pronounced with a long i – just as Maria was in the Jane Austen era. And though Mariah now sounds modern, it was…
Makayla
Variation of Michaela
"who is like God"
Now the best-selling version of this infinitely varied name, Makayla incorporates the also-popular Kayla. Makayla and Mikayla have now left the original Michaela far behind.
Mara
Hebrew
"bitter"
Mara is the evocative ancient root of Mary, appearing in the Book of Ruth, in which Naomi, devastated after the death of her two sons, says "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara." It's one of the girl…
Marie
French variation of Mary
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
The ubiquitous French version of Mary came into the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. In the United States, Marie was a huge hit at the turn of the last century and for the ensuing…
Misael
Hebrew
"as God is"
Old Testament name all but unknown outside the Latino community, it is nonetheless in the US Top 1000, where it has been since 1990.
Micah
Hebrew
"who is like the Lord"
While Micah is traditionally a boy name, it is now increasingly used for girls too, likely because it works as an alternative to Michaela, Maia, and McKenna. Still, Micaiah, the name from which Micah…
Meir
Hebrew
"bringer of light"
The original form of the Hebrew Meyer.
Mehitabel
Hebrew
"God rejoices"
Most famously, the name of a 1920s alley cat.
Mehira
Hebrew
"swift, energetic"
An energetic and distinctive choice.
Machi
Hebrew
"decrease"
Not ready to go all the way to Malachi? Then take this Biblical shortcut name, with the second syllable rhyming with eye.
Marnie
English
"of the sea"
A retro short form of Marina, dated to the era of the Hitchcock movie that made it famous, Marnie is beginning to feel fresh again — or rather, it is in the UK. Appearing in the Top 100 there in a…