User-created list
feminine names beginning with m
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Maris
Latin
"of the sea"
Maris is an unusual and appealing name that has never appeared in the U.S. Top 1000, overshadowed by its twentieth century elaboration, Marisa/Marissa. It derives from the phrase "Stella Maris," star…
Marisa
Italian and Spanish combination of Maria and Louisa
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"
A name made famous by Marisas Berenson and Tomei, never became as saturated as its cousin Melissa, so still a feasible choice. Marisa is one of those Spanish and Italian names for girls that sounds…
May
Diminutive of Margaret and Mary; month name
May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the…
Mai
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
Malory
Malory is a unisex name that has been predominantly used for girls in recent decades. Derived from the French surname 'Mallory,' which comes from the Old French 'maloret' meaning 'unfortunate' or…
Mallorie
Mallorie is a feminine name that serves as a variation of Mallory, which derives from the Norman French 'maloret,' meaning 'unfortunate' or 'unlucky.' Despite this somewhat somber etymology, the name…
Merida
Latin
"one who has achieved a high place of honor"
You'll probably be hearing more of this name thanks to the newest Pixar film, featuring Princess Merida, the first Pixar princess--a feisty, athletic, independent medieval Scottish girl with wild red…
Myrna
Irish
"festive; affection, endearment"
An anglicized spelling of Muirne, the name of the mother of Finn mac Cool in Irish legend, Myrna has a unique sound and two possible meanings, both of which are positive. Actress Myrna Loy was a…
Margie
Diminutive of Margery
Prime pert-teenager name in midcentury TV shows, replaced by Maggie.
Marge
Short form of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Marge used to be as common as Maggie or Megan, ranking on its own in the girls' Top 1000 from 1900 until right after World War II, when so many Old School names fell off the list in favor of a new…
Melodie
Melodie is a feminine name that represents a French-influenced spelling variation of Melody. Derived from Greek elements 'melos' (song) and 'oide' (ode), the name literally means 'song' or 'music.'…
Melinda
English combination name
"beautiful honey"
In the eighteenth century there was a poetic fad for names with the 'inda' sound, and, along with Belinda, Clarinda, Dorinda and Florinda, Melinda was one of those created at that time. It came into…
Maureen
Irish variation of Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Almost as popular in the 1950s among the Irish in Boston as it was with those back in Bray, Maureen was once among the most prominent Irish names for girls in the US but has fallen from favor along…
Matty
Diminutive of Matilda or Martha, Aramaic
"battle-mighty; lady"
Matty could be a short form of Martha, Matilda, or even Madeline. It is a tomboyish option, especially with the classic Matthew still popular for boys. But with boyish nicknames for girls - like…
Mattie
Diminutive of Martha or Matilda
"lady; battle-mighty"
Mattie, which might be a short form of Martha, Matilda, or even Madeline, ranked among the Top 100 names for girls in the 1880s and in fact, has held a place among the Top 1000 for most of U.S.…
Mimi
Diminutive of Mary, Miriam, and others
Sweet, nicknamey name belonging to the tragic heroines of both La Bohème and Rent . Mimi might feel too slight for many parents to use on the birth certificate, but as a short form, it's one of the…
Marlie
Spelling variation of Marley, English
"pleasant seaside meadow"
The Marlie pushes reggae king Bob's surname toward the popular Charlie. Marley is one of those names with several well-used variations, particularly for girls. Here they are ranked, with each…
Marlene
German variation of Madeline; combination of Mary and Magdalen
Marlene Dietrich made it famous when she condensed her first two names, Maria and Magdalena. Now more often pronounced with two syllables rather than three.
Marion
English and French diminutive of Marie
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
An underused classic that has proved surprisingly unisex over the last few decades, being given to roughly the same number of baby girls and boys in the US from the 1970s to the 2000s. For a girl,…
Marian
French medieval variation of Marie, Hebrew
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Marian's (and sister spelling Marion's) image has gone through a sea change of late, recalling less middle-aged matron and more Robin Hood's romantic Maid Marian. Some influences: the SJ Parker-M.…