feminine names beginning with m

Mabel is cuddly Victorian favorite rising in popularity in the US, after a 50-year nap If you love offbeat old-fashioned names like Violet or Josephine, only sassier and bubblier, Mabel is one for you to consider. It is currently in the US Top 200 and the UK Top 50.

Macey ranks in the Top 1000 thanks to big sister name Macy, ala Stacey and Stacy or Tracey and Tracy. The extra e also relates it to Lacey.

Macie is one variation that has become more popular than the original Macy, perhaps thanks to its resemblance to the stylish Maisie. While Macie is usually pronounced to rhyme with lacy while Maisie sounds more like crazy, there is undoubtedly some overlap -- and confusion.

Originally inspired as by eighties TV actress Mackenzie Phillips, parents since have flocked to Mackenzie for their daughters. Now a staple All-American choice, Mackenzie has ranked in the US Top 1000 for nearly 50 years.

Mackenzie originates from the Scottish surname which itself an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich. Coinnich is one of the original Gaelic forms of Kenneth meaning "handsome, beautiful, comely".

Singer Macy Gray has popularized this cute and upbeat choice—once solely associated with the department store—a modern replacement for Stacy and Tracy.

Britney Spears' little sister Jamie Lynn was one of the first to put this nickname on the birth certificate. Cute for a child, but we recommend giving her the option of the full name for later use.

While the traditionally spelled Madison has been among the most popular names in the 21st century, this version isn't exactly unpopular. Nevertheless, the second d is superfluous.

Sophisticated and sweet, delicate but substantial, Madeleine is the classic French variation of Magdalene.

Madeline, a lovely name with a soft and delicate image, is an old-fashioned favorite that returned to favor in the 1990's, combining a classic pedigree with a cute nickname option: Maddy.

Capturing some of the playful elegance of Madeleine, while avoiding any confusion over end sound, Madelyn is now an established spelling variation of the French classic. Sweet but strong, Madelyn is a versatile choice that lends itself to the almost inevitable nickname Maddy.

Madelyn is the most popular, phonetically-clear spelling of the lovely and stylish French name. Madilyn edges it toward Marilyn, though that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Since we wrote a book called Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana, encouraging parents to move beyond overused names, it's no secret what we think of this trendy surname name, inspired by a mermaid named Madison in the 1980s movie Splash.

With the ultra-popularity of Madison—currently ranked Number 15 for girls—it's inevitable that spelling deviations will make their way into the charts as well. Madyson joins this group of alternates, headlined by Maddison and Madisyn, all of which rank somewhere in the Top 1000. While the "creative" trend of adding the letter y doesn't look to be going away any time soon, it often creates confusion more than anything else.

Mae, a sweet and springlike old-fashioned name, hadn't been on the national charts in forty years, but finally made it back in 2010. Mae is derived from May, the month name that was chosen for its connection to Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and motherhood.

Maeve is a short and sweet name that has become one of the most stylish Irish names for girls in the modern US. Maeve would make an excellent first or middle name choice, with more heft than Mae/May and more modern charm than Mavis.

On "Sex and the City," Magda was the elderly nanny from the old country -- which is what this name sounds like. While Magdalene and Magdalena are enjoying fresh life, Magda still feels dated.

Magdalena is a pretty name forever associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen; often heard in the Hispanic community. But forward thinking parents are reviving Magdalena along with Magdalene and the unrelated but similar-sounding Marguerite.

This name made famous in the New Testament has gone from crusty grandma to sleek and chic in recent years, or is it months? The name's image is perhaps helped by the fact that Mary Magdalene was one of the most intriguing women inthe Bible, both a saint and a sinner.