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Morris

OriginEnglish variation of Maurice
Meaning"dark-skinned"
GenderBoy & girl
US rank · boys#1762

2025 SSA

US rank · girlsUnranked

Below 5 births

About Morris

Morris is as quiet and comfortable as a Morris chair, and has the same vintage feel. Once a Top 100 name in the early 1900s, Morris fell completely off the roster in 1995, probably due to lingering fallout from his identification with Morris the cat's ("the world's most finicky cat") 9 Lives cat food commercials.

Morris for boys#1762 US

A more distingushed namesake is Morris (Mo) Udall, an influential congressman, and, from literature, Morris Townsend in the Henry James novel Washington Square, which was made into a movie titled "The Heiress," with Montgomery Clift playing the part.

The usual nicknames for Morris are Morrie/Maury or Moe; a more distinctive one would be Moss. Morrie Schwartz, subject of the bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie was born Morris.

Morris for girls

A little bit cosy, a little bit grandpa, but with a hint of artiness from the William Morris association too, Morris comes from the French Maurice, and was popular for boys in the first half of the 19th century. While still quietly used for around 100 boys each year, it could make an interesting choice for girls, especially in the middle spot, giving off a similar feel to the likes of Scottie, Lou, Wallis, and Gene.

Pronounced MOR-iss.

As of October 2026, Morris ranked #1762 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #82 in 1912, Nameberry popularity #635.

World rankings

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Morris on lists

Famous Morriss

  • Morris Lee ClaiborneBoy

    American NFL football player

  • Morris Lamont ChestnutBoy

    Jr., American actor

  • Morris E. DayBoy

    American R&B musician of The Time

  • MorrisBoy

    pen name of Maurice De Bevere, Belgian cartoonist

  • Morris "Morrie" SchwartzBoy

    subject of Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie"

Morris in pop culture

  • Morris the CatBoy

    advertising mascot for 9Lives brand cat food, voiced by John Erwin

  • Morris O'BrianBoy

    character from the TV's "24"

  • MorrisBoy

    town in Connecticut

  • MorrisBoy

    character in the video game "Stardew Valley"

Variations & nicknames

Morris in blog posts

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