Name: Malcolm
Meaning: “devotee of St. Colomba”
Origin: Scottish
Current Popularity: #394
For the past century, Malcolm has been all over (but consistently within) the top 600 baby names in the US. Malcolm was at peak popularity in 1928, when it was ranked the 205th most popular male name in the US. From the data, we can see that the last twenty years have been interesting ones for Malcolm. The name was in the 300s in 2000, dipped down to its least popular point in history in 2009, and then boomeranged back to the 300s where it currently sits.
Nickname Potential: The most intuitive nickname option for Malcolm is the short and sweet Mal. A Malcolm could also go by Mac/Mack or Cole/Colm. Of course, nicknames usually come about pretty organically, so don’t sweat it if none of these seems right.
Associations: Human rights activist Malcolm X may always be the name’s most famous bearer. Malcolm also has some pop-culture connections: Jeff Goldblum’s iconic Dr. Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park, Shakespeare’s Malcolm from MacBeth, Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds from the cult TV show, Firefly, and actor and director Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
Similar Names: Elliott, Calvin, Levi, Duncan, Carson, Miles, Kendrick, Cameron, Jonah, Marshall, Simon, Terrence, Sebastian
Why We Love It: Malcolm feels like he’ll grow-up to be the most erudite and interesting person in any room, while little Mal is your best bud, full of energy and curiosity. It’s a name that has loads of personality, is fun to say, and still feels unexpected on a present-day baby.
Who Might Like It: We all know of Malcolms, but we might not actually know many. And that means it gives us exactly what most parents want: the freshness of an unusual name with the familiarity of a popular one. Its famous namesakes and history of use in the US are diverse enough, too, that we see Malcolm as a demographic-crossing name that may appeal to parents of all backgrounds.