Dog Names That Start With M

Fans of versatile, rising African- American actor Mekhi Phifer have begun to adopt his unusual first name for their sons.

A middle-aged, if not elderly, name associated with Israeli statesman and onetime prime minister Begin, this is a symbolic appellation for boys born on the holiday of Tishah-b'Ab.

A nice meaning -- congruent with the recent vogue for names like Blessing -- helps offset this Hawaiian name's proximity to overused Makayla and McKenzie.

This attractive Indian unisex name has a number of interesting variations with equally appealing meanings, including Manjula and Manjusha.

An unusual nickname for unusual names — Mazikeen, a name invented by Neil Gaiman for his Sandman comics, and Mazarine, a French color name.

Oh dear! We can see where you were going with connecting this name to the classic "Leah," but it just doesn't work. We recommend sticking with the classic Malia.

This cute as a button name stems from the Goonayandi word for the sun and can be used as a unisex name.

For basketball fans, in honor of Magic Johnson. Or anyone who believes in magic.

Mo is a punchy, unisex nickname with endless versatility, from Maureen to Morgan to the British favorite Imogen. Its simplicity and charm make it a modern pick for parents embracing minimalist names - and part of a rising trend of boyish nicknames for girls.

Although Malak can be used for both sexes, it's much more widely-used for girls in the US and throughout Europe, where it ranks on several popularity lists.

Maori form of Matthew

Mako is a name used for both genders in Japan, most notably for the granddaughter of the emperor who chose to leave the Royal Family to marry a commoner. It's a simple name that translates easily to English-speaking cultures, though many will try to pronounce the first syllable with a long a. Mako also means "shark" in Maori, and is the name of two shark species.

An unusual spin on Mila and Milena.

Merilee and Merrilee were early respelled or word names, ahead of their time in some ways. Merrilee hit the Top 1000 for a couple of years in the 1940s, but last year no baby girls were given either version of the name in the US, which makes it more appealing.

Mittens is a common name for cats with mitten-like fur patterns on their paws. The word actually has feline origins — it shares a root with mite, an Old French pet name for a cat. It became linked with mittens because they were made of fur.

Cute and eminently wearable surname name for girls.

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