Mordechai

Mordechai and Mordecai are equally valid — both are used as transcriptions from the Hebrew bible, and one did not originate before the other. But although popular culture tends to prefer the (slightly simpler) Mordecai, Mordechai has always been the more common version for babies born in the US.

It is particularly popular among Jewish families, who have been known to use Mordechai for sons born around the Purim holiday. In the Old Testament, Mordechai saves the Jewish peoples in Persia from being killed by Haman with the help of his cousin, Queen Esther.

Pronounced mor-de-KHY.

As of October 2026, Mordechai ranked #967 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #750 in 2018.