Earth Day is almost here — and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a list of Earthy girl names.
There aren’t many baby girl names more popular than girl names that start with M.
In fact, the letter “m” was the No. 1 most popular first initial for baby girls every year between 1880 and 1944, and has been a top-6 first initial for girls every year since, per Behind the Name.
And M girl names like Mary, Margaret and Michelle are a big reason why.
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Mary has been the No. 1 most popular girl’s name in the United States over the past 100 years, according to data released by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Margaret (18th), Michelle (20th), Melissa (23rd), Maria (47th), Megan (66th), Madison (69th), Martha (73rd) and Marilyn (90th) also landed in the SSA’s top-100 girl names since 1924.
But fast forward to today and we’re seeing a new generation of girl names that start with M emerge.
Of the names listed above, only Madison (36th) and Maria (82nd) were still listed in the SSA’s top-100 in 2023 — the most recent data we have.
The only other M girl names to crack the top-100 that year were Mia (6th), Mila (28th), Maya (50th), Madelyn (58th), Maeve (73rd) and Madeline (94), according to the SSA.
If you’re looking for unique M names for girls, then we’ve put together the perfect list for you!
Millie
Origin: Multicultural
Meaning: Gentle strength; Vigorous; Strong; Religious attendant
Millie, pronounced MIL-ee, is often a diminutive of names like Millicent, Mildred, Amelia, or Camilla. As such, it can mean everything from “gentle strength” to “vigorous and strong” and “religious servant.”
Melody
Origin: Greek; English
Meaning: Song; Tune; Musical sounds
Melody, pronounced MEL-uh-dee, is composed of the Greek words melos, meaning “song,” and aeido, meaning “to sing.” In English, melody refers to a succession of agreeable musical sounds by instrument or voice.
Melania
Origin: Latin; Greek
Meaning: Dark; Black
Melania, pronounced muh-LAH-nee-uh, comes from the Greek word melaina, meaning “black” or “dark.” The name gained recognition through Saint Melania the Younger, a Christian saint and Roman philanthropist.
Melanie
Origin: Latin; Greek; French; English
Meaning: Dark; Black
Melanie, pronounced MEL-uh-nee, is the French and English form of the Latin name Melania, which comes from the Greek word melaina, meaning “black” or “dark.” It became popular in the U.S. in the 1940s thanks to a character from the novel “Gone With the Wind,” released in 1936.
Magnolia
Origin: Latin; French
Meaning: Magnol’s flower
Magnolia, pronounced mag-NOH-lee-uh, comes from the flowering tree named after French botanist Pierre Magnol (1638-1715). Magnolias are one of the oldest flowering plant groups with fossils dating back over 100 million years.
Margot
Origin: French; Greek
Meaning: Pearl
Margot, pronounced MAR-goh, is a French diminutive of Margaret, which derives from the Greek word margarites, meaning "pearl." Margot is just as common as Margaret in the United States today.
Mackenzie
Origin: Old Irish; Gaelic
Meaning: Handsome; Beautiful; Good
Mackenzie, pronounced muh-KEN-zee, comes from the Scottish surname Mac Coinnich, a derivative of the Old Irish name Coinneach and Old Irish element caín, meaning "handsome,” “beautiful” and “good.”
Myla
Origin: Slavic; Hebrew
Meaning: Gracious; Dear; Soldier
Myla, pronounced MY-luh, has multiple possible meanings depending on its origin. For example, it could be a variation of Mila, which is Slavic for "gracious" or "dear,” or come from the Hebrew name Miles, meaning "soldier."
Molly
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Sea of bitterness; Rebellious; Wished for child
Molly, pronounced MOL-ee, is traditionally a diminutive of Mary, which comes from the Hebrew name Miriam and is believed to mean “sea of bitterness,” “rebelliousness” or “wished for child.”
Mariana
Origin: Latin; Hebrew; Roman
Meaning: Of the sea; Graceful; Favored; God of war
Mariana, pronounced mar-ee-AH-nah or mar-ee-AN-uh, combines the Latin word marinus, meaning “of the sea,” and the Hebrew name Anna, meaning “grace” or “favor.” It can also be a feminine variant of the Roman name Marius, a diminutive of the name Mars (the Roman god of War).
Morgan
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Born of the sea; Circling the sea
Morgan, pronounced MOR-gən, derives from Old Welsh elements mor, meaning “sea,” combined with either cant, meaning “circle,” or gen, meaning “born of.” In Welsh mythology, Morgan le Fay was a powerful enchantress.
Miriam
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Sea of bitterness; Rebellious; Wished for child
Miriam, pronounced MEER-ee-əm, is the Hebrew form of Mary and appears in the Hebrew Bible as the sister of Moses and Aaron. The meaning is heavily debated, but many experts believe it means “sea of bitterness,” “rebelliousness” or “wished for child.”
Milani
Origin: Italian; Old Irish
Meaning: Middle of the plain; Dark; Black
Milani, pronounced mih-LAH-nee, is the feminine elaborated form of Milan, referring to one of the largest cities in Italy. The name Milan is believed to mean “middle of the plain” in Old Irish. The name Milani can also be a variant of the name Melanie, meaning “dark” or “black.”
Malia
Origin: Hawaiian; Hebrew
Meaning: Sea of bitterness; Rebellious; Wished for child
Malia, pronounced muh-LEE-uh or MAH-lee-ah, is the Hawaiian form of Mary and Maria. The name gained wide recognition through Malia Obama, the daughter of former U.S. President Barack Obama.
Mabel
Origin: Late Latin
Meaning: Lovable
Mabel, pronounced MAY-bəl, is the medieval feminine form of Amabilis, which means “lovable” in Late Latin. Saint Amabilis was a 5th-century priest in Riom who is now the patron saint against fire and snakes.
Marley
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Pleasant wood; Marten wood; Boundary wood
Marley, pronounced MAR-lee, originated as an English surname derived from various place names. The meaning is somewhat debated, but experts often translate it as "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English.
Maisie
Origin: Scottish; Gaelic; Greek
Meaning: Pearl
Maisie, pronounced MAY-zee, is traditionally a Scottish diminutive of Margaret, which comes from the Greek word margarites, meaning "pearl." It was popularized in the U.S. by actress Maisie Williams, who played Arya Stark in “Game of Thrones.” Her birth name is Margaret.
Maggie
Origin: Greek; English
Meaning: Pearl
Maggie, pronounced MAG-ee, is a diminutive of Margaret, which is derived from the Greek word margarites, meaning "pearl." Other girl names that start with M tied to Margaret include Margie, Mags and Marnie.
McKenna
Origin: Irish; Scottish
Meaning: Born of fire
McKenna, pronounced mə-KEN-ə, comes from the Irish and Scottish surname Mac Cionaodha, which is derived from the Irish name Cináed and composed of the Irish elements cinid, meaning “born of,” and áed, meaning “flame.”
Maya
Origin: Sanskrit; Greek; Hebrew
Meaning: Illusion; Magic; Good mother; Water
Maya, pronounced MY-ə, has multiple origins across different cultures. For example, it translates to “illusion” and “magic” in Sanskrit, but can also mean “water” through the Hebrew word mayim or “good mother” through the Greek word maia.
Meadow
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Meadow; Grassy field
Meadow, pronounced MED-oh, comes directly from the English word meadow, which is derived from the Old English word mædwe, referring to an open, grassy field particularly used for hay.
Mallory
Origin: Old French
Meaning: Unfortunate
Mallory, pronounced MAL-er-ee, is derived from the Old French word maleüré, meaning “unfortunate.” It was popularized by Mallory Keaton, a fictional character portrayed by actress Justine Bateman in the hit TV show “Family Ties.”
Matilda
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Strength in battle; Mighty warrior
Matilda, pronounced muh-TIL-duh, comes from the Germanic name Mahthilt, which is composed of the Germanic elements maht, meaning "might” or “strength,” and hild, meaning "battle.” Saint Matilda was a Saxon noblewoman who became queen of Germany and the mother of Otto the Great.
Miracle
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: Wondrous work of God; Object of wonder
Miracle, pronounced MEER-uh-kol, comes directly from the English word miracle, which is derived from the Latin word miraculum, meaning "object of wonder." In English, a miracle is a “wondrous work of God.”
Miley
Origin: Latin; English
Meaning: Soldier; Smiling baby
Miley, pronounced MY-lee, is believed to be a diminutive of the Latin name Miles, meaning “soldier.” In the case of singer Miley Cyrus, it’s a shortened form of the name Smiley — a nickname her father gave her because she smiled so much.
Macie
Origin: English; French; Latin
Meaning: Gift of God
Macie, pronounced MAY-see, is a variation of Macy, which originated as a surname derived from various French place names called Massy and comes from a Latin name Maccius, believed to mean “gift of God.”
Meredith
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Great ruler; Lord of greatness
Meredith, pronounced MEHR-eh-dith, comes from the Welsh names Maredudd and Meredydd, which are believed to be composed of the Welsh elements mawredd, meaning “greatness,” and iudd, meaning “lord.”
Maxine
Origin: English; Latin; Scottish
Meaning: Greatest; Mack’s stream
Maxine, pronounced MACK-seen, is the feminine form of Max, which can either mean “greatest” via the Latin word maximus (like Maxim or Maximilian) or “Mack’s stream” via the Scottish name Maxwell.
Murphy
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Sea warrior; Descendant of Murchadh
Murphy, pronounced MUR-fee, comes from the Irish surname Ó Murchadha, meaning "descendant of Murchadh.” The name Murchadh itself is composed of the Old Irish elements muir, meaning “sea,” and cath, meaning “battle.”
Monroe
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: From the mouth of the Roe
Monroe, pronounced mun-ROH, derives from a Scottish surname meaning “from the mouth of the Roe.” The River Roe is a 34-mile river in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The Roe River can also refer to the world’s shortest river, located in Montana.
Maren
Origin: Multicultural
Meaning: Of the sea; Sea of bitterness
Maren, pronounced MAHR-en, has multiple possible origins. For example, it may be a Scandinavian form of Marina or a variant of Marin, both relating to the sea. It could also connect to the Hebrew name Mary.
Miranda
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Admirable; Wonderful
Miranda, pronounced mir-AN-duh, is derived from the Latin word mirandus, meaning "admirable" or "wonderful." The name gained literary recognition through Shakespeare's character in "The Tempest.”
Mina
Origin: Multicultural
Meaning: Fish; Azure; Enamel
Mina, pronounced MEE-nuh, has multiple origins across different cultures. For example, it can mean “azure” and “enamel” in Persian, “fish” in Sanskrit or be a diminutive of names ending in -mina, such as Wilhelmina or Emina.
Marceline
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Little warrior; Dedicated to Mars
Marceline, pronounced mar-suh-LEEN, is the feminine form of Marcelinus, derived from Marcellus, ultimately from Mars, the Roman god of war. Some parents prefer the close variant Marcheline.
Mavis
Origin: Old French; English
Meaning: Song thrush bird
Mavis, pronounced MAY-vis, comes from the Old French word mauvis, referring to the song thrush bird. Song thrushes are unique for their distinctive, repetitive songs and their habit of using stones as "anvils" to break open snail shells.
Marigold
Origin: English; Hebrew
Meaning: Mary’s golden flower
Marigold, pronounced MARE-ih-gold, comes from the English flower name, which combines the name Mary (referring to the Virgin Mary) with the word gold. The bright yellow-orange flower gives the name sunny and cheerful associations.
Monica
Origin: Latin; Greek
Meaning: One who advises; One; Alone
Monica, pronounced MON-ih-kuh, has debated origins. Some experts believe it comes from the Latin word monere, meaning "to advise," while others suggest it comes from the Greek word monos, meaning "alone” or “one.”
Malaysia
Origin: Tamil; Malay
Meaning: Mountain land; Country in Asia
Malaysia, pronounced muh-LAY-zhuh, is derived directly from the Southeast Asian country name, which may come from Tamil words meaning "mountain land" or from the Malays who inhabit the region.
Marisol
Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Sea and sun; Virgin Mary
Marisol, pronounced mar-ee-SOL, is a Spanish compound name combining mar ("sea") and sol ("sun"), literally "sea and sun." It can also be derived from the name María de la Soledad, a Spanish title for the Virgin Mary.
Mercy
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: Reward; Compassion; Forgiveness
Mercy, pronounced MUR-see, comes directly from the English word mercy, which is derived from the Latin word merces, originally meaning "reward" but evolving to mean "compassion” and “forgiveness.”
Marlowe
Origin: Old English
Meaning: Remnants of a lake; Driftwood
Marlowe, pronounced MAR-loh, comes from an English place name derived from the Old English elements mere, meaning "lake," and lāf, meaning "remains" or "remnants," possibly referring to driftwood.
Magdalena
Origin: Hebrew; Aramaic
Meaning: From Magdala; Born in a tower
Magdalena, pronounced mag-duh-LAY-nuh or mag-duh-LEE-nuh, comes from Mary Magdalene in the New Testament, whose name indicated she was from Magdala, a place name meaning "tower" in Aramaic.
Melinda
Origin: Greek; Spanish
Meaning: Beautiful honey
Melinda, pronounced muh-LIN-duh, could be a combination of the Greek word meli, meaning “honey,” and the Spanish word linda, meaning “beautiful.” Other theories suggest it’s a variation of names like Melissa and Melanie.
Mischa
Origin: Russian; Hebrew
Meaning: Who is like God?
Mischa, pronounced MEE-shuh, is a Russian diminutive of Mikhail (Michael), which is ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Miḵaʾel and Hebrew elements mi and ke, meaning “like,” and el, meaning “God.”
Monet
Origin: French
Meaning: Home; Rich Protection
Monet, pronounced moh-NAY, comes from the French surname made famous by Impressionist painter Claude Monet. It’s believed to be a diminutive of Hamon, meaning “home,” or Edmond, meaning “rich protection.”
Marielle
Origin: French; Hebrew
Meaning: Sea of bitterness; Rebellious; Wished for Child
Marielle, pronounced mar-ee-EL, is a French elaboration of Marie (combined with the suffix -elle) and is ultimately derived from the Hebrew Miriam. It’s believed to mean “sea of bitterness,” “rebelliousness” or “wished for child.”
Marcella
Origin: Roman; Latin
Meaning: Young warrior; War-like
Marcella, pronounced mar-SEL-uh, is the feminine form of Marcellus, which is derived from the Roman name Mars, referring to the Roman god of war. Marcella is also the name of a saint who is commemorated on Jan. 31.
Minerva
Origin: Roman; Latin
Meaning: Mind; Wisdom; War-like
Minerva, pronounced min-ER-vuh, comes directly from the Roman goddess of wisdom, arts and strategic warfare. She’s the equivalent of the Greek goddess Athena and her name is possibly derived from Latin mens, meaning "mind."
Misty
Origin: English
Meaning: Covered in fog or mist
Misty, pronounced MIS-tee, comes directly from the English word misty, which describes something that’s covered in fog or mist. It was popularized by a jazz song titled “Misty” by Erroll Garner, released in 1954.
Maude
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Strength in battle; Mighty warrior
Maude, pronounced MAWD, is a medieval form of Matilda, which is composed of the Germanic elements maht, meaning "might” or “strength,” and hild, meaning "battle.” Maude was likely popularized by Alfred Tennyson's 1855 poem “Maud.”
Margaret
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Pearl
Margaret, pronounced MAR-guh-ret, is derived from the Greek word margarites, meaning "pearl." Saint Margaret of Antioch is the patron of childbirth and pregnant women and her feast day is on July 20th.
Michelle
Origin: Hebrew; French
Meaning: Who is like God?
Michelle, pronounced mih-SHEL, is the French feminine form of Michel (Michael), which is derived from the Hebrew name Miḵaʾel and composed of the Hebrew elements mi and ke, meaning “like,” and el, meaning “God.”
Melissa
Origin: Greek
Meaning: Bee; Apiarist
Melissa, pronounced muh-LISS-uh, comes directly from the Greek word melissa, meaning “bee.” In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who discovered and taught the use of honey. She was also one of the nurses present when Zeus was born.
Maria
Origin: Hebrew; Latin
Meaning: Sea of bitterness; Rebellious; Wished for child
Maria, pronounced muh-REE-uh or MAR-ee-uh depending on language, is the Latin form of Mary, which comes from the Hebrew name Miriam and is believed to mean “sea of bitterness,” “rebelliousness” or “wished for child.”
Megan
Origin: Greek; Welsh
Meaning: Pearl
Megan, pronounced MEG-an, is a Welsh diminutive form of Margaret, which is derived from the Greek word margarites, meaning "pearl." Other ways to spell Megan include Meghan, Meagan and Maeghan.
Madison
Origin: English; Germanic; Hebrew
Meaning: Son of Maud; Son of Matthew; Strength in battle; Gift of God
Madison, pronounced MAD-ih-sun, originated as an English surname meaning "son of Maud" or "son of Matthew." The name Maud is a diminutive of Matilda, meaning “strength in battle,” while Matthew is a Hebrew name meaning “gift of God.”
Martha
Origin: Aramaic
Meaning: Lady; Mistress
Martha, pronounced MAR-thuh, comes from the Aramaic word marta, meaning “lady” or “mistress,” which is the feminine form of the Aramaic word mar, meaning “master.” The name appears in the New Testament as the sister of Mary Magdalene and Lazarus. She witnessed Jesus restore his dead brother.
Marilyn
Origin: Hebrew; Welsh
Meaning: Sea of bitterness; Bitter lake
Marilyn, pronounced MARE-ih-lin, is traditionally considered a combination of Mary (from the Hebrew name Miriam) and the suffix -lyn or element llyn, meaning “lake” in Welsh, giving this name a connection to the water.
Mia
Origin: Italian; Hebrew
Meaning: Mine; Sea of bitterness; Wished for child
Mia, pronounced MEE-uh, is sometimes considered an Italian or Scandinavian diminutive of Maria/Mary, but also acts as a stand alone name derived from the Italian word mia, meaning "mine."
Mila
Origin: Slavic
Meaning: Gracious; Dear
Mila, pronounced MEE-luh, is derived from the Slavic element milŭ, meaning “gracious” or “dear.” It can also be a diminutive of names containing the element mil, such as Ludmila, Camila, Milanka and Milena.
Mirabella
Origin: Latin; Italian
Meaning: Beautiful; Wonderful; Amazing
Mirabella, pronounced meer-uh-BELL-uh, is derived from the Latin word mirabilis, meaning "wonderful" or "amazing," combined with the feminine suffix -bella, the Italian word for "beautiful."
Madelyn
Origin: Hebrew; English; French
Meaning: From Magda; Born in the tower
Madelyn, pronounced MAD-uh-lin, is an Anglicized spelling variation of Madeline, the French form of Magdalene, referring to Mary Magdalene in the New Testament. Magdalene is derived from the place name Magda, meaning “tower” in Hebrew.
Maeve
Origin: Irish
Meaning: Intoxicating; Warrior queen
Maeve, pronounced MAYV, is the Anglicized form of the Irish names Medb and Meadhbh, meaning “intoxicating” in Irish. In Irish mythology, Maeve was a warrior queen of Connacht known for her strength.
Millicent
Origin: Gothic; English
Meaning: Strong; Brave; Vigorous
Millicent, pronounced MIL-ih-sent, comes from the Gothic name Amalaswinþa, which is composed of the Gothic elements amals, meaning “vigorous” and “brave,” and swinþs, meaning “strong.”
Marinette
Origin: French; Latin
Meaning: Of the sea
Marinette, pronounced mar-ih-NET, is a French diminutive of Marina, ultimately derived from the Latin marinus meaning "of the sea." It was used for a character in the 2015 show “Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.”
Merliah
Origin: Modern; Invented
Meaning: Unknown
Merliah, pronounced mer-LIE-uh or MER-lee-uh, appears to be a modern invented name, possibly combining elements of Merlin and names ending in "-iah" or related to the sea ("mer" in French) and grassland (“leah” in Old English).
Not Interested In Baby Girl Names That Start With M?
Girl names starting with M are a great place to begin your search for a baby name.
From timeless classics like Mary, Margaret and Michelle to more unique selections like Maeve, Margot, and Murphy, there are so many popular choices when looking at girl names that start with M.
But there’s also 25 other letters of the alphabet worth browsing through.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by options and looking for a truly special name, Mod Moms Club is an excellent resource dedicated to helping parents find the perfect name.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 50+ Rare Baby Girl Names That Start With V
And our baby name generator makes the process that much simpler — just input your preferences and we’ll do the rest!
