Dog Names That Start With M

This makes Milan sound like less of a place, more of a name.

Attractive but slight Asian alternative, with a 1970s nickname feel.

An unusual, energetic surname choice that would make a good Madison alternative. Madigan was a typical police detective series of the 1970s, starring Richard Widmark.

Mason with a French accent. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2012, and it will likely hang on for as long as its brother-in-spelling-variations, Mayson.

Charming French endearment, first used as a name by Goethe, that now makes an appealing choice -- though the proper feminine form is Mignonne. Note, though, that this is not actually used as a name in France, where Manon would be the closest choice.

Takes Monroe out of the Dead Presidents category and gives it new life.

Mustafa is a name widely used in Turkey, as it was the given name of the man popularly known as Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Mustafa is also an epithet of the prophet Muhammad and was the name of four Ottoman sultans. Other spellings include Mostafa, Moustafa, and Moustapha.

The name of the second-biggest (and third-most populous) island in Hawaii was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2017. A major factor was surely Dwayne Johnson's character in Moana, the Polynesian demigod named Maui, a mythological trickster who slowed the sun to create the days. (It fell back to normal levels in the following years.)

Presidential name that makes a fresh substitute for MacKenzie or McKenna. Possible spelling variations include MacKinley, MacKinlee, Makinleigh ad almost infinitum. McKinley is one of the Scottish names for girls that can work equally well for boys.

Both the Spanish Marcelo and Italian Marcello would work well for children of any backgrounds.

Marietta would make for a classy and uncommon long form for cool nickname Etta.

Angliziced spelling of Muirne, the name of the mother of Finn mac Cool in Irish legend. Actress Myrna Loy was a notable bearer.

This particular spelling was chosen by Will Ferrell for his son, brother to Magnus. These names are both popular in Sweden, birthplace of their mother, Viveca Paulin.

A name that works until your daughter is, say, six.

This Anglo-Saxon gem was borne by a few medieval women including Saint Merewen, Abbess of Romsey Abbey. It has also been used in literature, for example in Kit Berry's Stonewylde series. Merewen has the mellifluous vowels and Celtic charm of other current favorites like Elowen and Meredith.

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 form of the Hebrew Meyer.

The popular cosmetics brand Maybelline inspires at least a few baby girls' names each year. Company founder Thomas Lyle Williams created the name as a portmanteau of Mabel and Vaseline after watching his sister Mabel mix up a quasi-eyeshadow out of coal dust and Vaseline.

Frenchified name rarely used in France. And perhaps even more rarely used in the US -- there were NO baby girls given the name on the official records of 2021.

The sort of oh-so-French name that's falling out of favor now.