Greek Names that Start With M

  1. Maya
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit, English, Hebrew, Estonian
    • Meaning:

      "illusion, magic; mother; water; beloved, bitter, drop of the sea"
    • Description:

      Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel, and Brazil. It's ranked in the US Top 100 since the turn of this century, but has never risen to the top of the list, which you may consider a good thing.
  2. Margaret
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "pearl"
    • Description:

      Margaret is derived from the French Marguerite, which in turn came from Margarita, the Latin form of the Greek Margarites. Margarites was based on the Old Persian word margārīta, meaning "pearl."
  3. Maia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "mother"
    • Description:

      Maia was derived from the Greek word maia, meaning "mother." In Greek legend, she was the fair-haired daughter of Atlas who mothered Zeus's favorite illegitimate son, Hermes. To the Romans, Maia was the incarnation of the earth mother and goddess of spring, after whom they named the month of May. Maya is the more common spelling.
  4. Melissa
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "honeybee"
    • Description:

      Melissa derives from the Greek word mélissa, meaning "bee," which was taken from the word for honey, meli. In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who nursed the infant god Zeus with honey. Melissa was used as a given name by the early Greeks, as well as for fairies by Italian Renaissance poets.
  5. Magdalena
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "from Magdala"
    • Description:

      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.
  6. Melanie
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "black, dark"
    • Description:

      Gone with the Wind inspired a generation of girls named Melanie, though it looks as though Scarlett will triumph in the end.
  7. Matthias
    • Origin:

      Aramaic variation of Matthew
    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"
    • Description:

      With Matthew sounding somewhat exhausted, and ancient endings sounding new again, this New Testament apostolic name makes an appealing and recommended choice. Both Mathias and Matias are well used in the Hispanic community, and throughout Europe. Will Ferrell and his Swedish wife chose Matias for their second son.
  8. Myrtle
    • Origin:

      Greek botanical name
    • Description:

      Long in our category of so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out category, once seen as a gum-cracking 1940's telephone operator, we think it's time to reassess Myrtle, and look at is as a nature name, a plant with pink or white aromatic berries. Ruled by Venus, myrtle is a plant associated with love, peace, fertility and youth.
  9. Myra
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "sweet-smelling oil"
    • Description:

      As with many grandmother-y names, this choice may be coming back into style.
  10. Melody
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "song"
    • Description:

      A melodious choice big in the sixties, Melody is now starting to pick up tempo again. It cracked the Top 150 for the first time ever in 2015. Melody is also the name of Ariel's equally curious and more tom-boyish daughter in The Little Mermaid sequel. Read more about Melody and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.
  11. Melia
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name, diminutive of Amelia, or Hawaiian
    • Meaning:

      "ash tree; honey; work; plumeria"
    • Description:

      This is a rich, melodic shortening of the popular girls' name Amelia that can stand on its own. There are several figures in Greek myth named Melia, most notably a daughter of Oceanus. The Meliae are nymphs associated with trees.
  12. Melina
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "little honey"
    • Description:

      This traditional Greek name feels somewhat more distinctive than Melissa, though after a recent upward blip in popularity, it seems to be sliding back down -- which may not be a bad thing for parents looking for a name that both fits in and stands out.
  13. Melora
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "golden apple"
    • Description:

      Euphonic hybrid of the sounds of Melissa and Laura. Melora Hardin is an actress who was featured on The Office.
  14. Myron
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "fragrant, an aromatic shrub, myrrh"
    • Description:

      One of many M names -- including Murray, Melvin, Morton, Milton, and Marvin -- given to first-generation Jewish boys to replace the old-fashioned Moses. Now we'd pick Moses over any of them.
  15. Maryam
    • Origin:

      Arabic, Persian, and Urdu variant of Mary, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      Classic Mary has many international variations and the strong, pretty Maryam is the Arabic, Persian, and Urdu form. Popular in many countries across the world, from Azerbaijan to France, The Netherlands to Iran and from England to Russia, Maryam is the form of Mary that appears in the Quran.
  16. Malina
    • Origin:

      Feminine form of Malcolm or spelling variation of Melina or Polish, Bulgarian, Serbian
    • Meaning:

      "raspberry"
    • Description:

      Malina is a synthetic-feeling name that may be a feminization of the Scottish Malcolm or a spelling twist on the Greek Melina and that also has a fruit meaning in several Eastern European languages. For all that it's a little bit of lots of things, Malina doesn't feel very much like itself.
  17. Mya
    • Origin:

      Variation of Maya, Greek mythology and Central American Indian name
    • Description:

      This distinctive spelling was popularized by the R&B singer Mya (Harrison) and has inspired many baby namers to adopt Mya for themselves.
  18. Morpheus
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name, god of sleep and dreams
    • Description:

      Though you may pray to the god of sleep for your baby to slumber through the night, a drowsy image is not the greatest one to inflict on your little boy.
  19. Magdalen
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "woman from Magdala or high tower"
    • Description:

      Biblical name long associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen, now rising improbably into the ranks of the fashionable among parents hungry for classic yet distinctive girls' names. The Magdalene and Magdalena versions are perhaps even more stylish. Can be shortened to Maggie or Magda but the full version is prettiest. One of our new favorites!
  20. Melantha
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "dark flower"
    • Description:

      The th sound both softens and complicates this Melanie relative.