Dog Names That Start With M

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.

A highly unusual Dora name that may be a spin on the Japanese name Midori, meaning "green," or a combination of Mia "my" plus Dora "gift."

A striking form of international favourite Maria, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

A strong modern word name with both spiritual and secular significance.

Malayah first appeared on the charts in 1994 and has steadily climbed its way into the Top 1000. It's a spelling variation of Malaya, which derives from the same root as Malaysia — which in addition to being a country name, is a baby name that ranks in the Top 600.

You can just hear some sassy dame in a 1930s movie using this name. We prefer the original -- or even its original, Amabel.

Mardi is a foreign word name that sounds like a homegrown nickname. For what? We're not sure, but it's kinda cute, and preferable to Tuesday.

Not one but two Spice Girls are named Mel, which led to it briefly being more popular for girls than boys in the 90s and early 00s, but it has now fallen out of favor for both sexes.

This unusual unisex surname name is pretty evenly divided between the sexes these days than it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when it was almost entirely male.

An attractive optical illusion where heat causes light to reflect in the air as if off a body of water. It was used as a character name in the 2004 animated film The Incredibles.

Disney turned Maleficent into a name in 1959, when it was used for the "Mistress of All Evil" in the film Sleeping Beauty. Prior to that, maleficent was a word meaning "causing harm," the antonym of beneficent. Its similarities to the familiar name Millicent made it an apt choice for the iconic Disney villain.

Mecca was the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, making it the holiest city in Islam. Located in modern-day Saudi Arabia, millions of Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca each year.

Sensuous and rhythmic.

Sounds like a displaced Dr. Seuss character.

Old-man name, soft as a fraying gray cashmere cardigan, that would be even cuter for a girl.

A name that's appeared out of thin air, in the same vein as such mystical favorites as Destiny and Nevaeh.