Malcolm: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “devotee of Saint Columba”
- Origin
- Scottish Gaelic
- Say it
- MAL-kum · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Boys
Anglicized from Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, literally 'disciple' or 'devotee of Columba.' It was borne by several medieval Scottish kings.
How popular is Malcolm?
Babies named Malcolm in 20241,088
2024 rank#314 boys
Peak year1992
Total US babies since 188069,060
Malcolm is rising: use over the last five years is 2.2× what it was a decade earlier.
Names like Malcolm
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Malcolm questions
What does the name Malcolm mean?
Malcolm means "devotee of Saint Columba". It comes from Scottish Gaelic. Anglicized from Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, literally 'disciple' or 'devotee of Columba.' It was borne by several medieval Scottish kings.
Is Malcolm a boy or girl name?
Malcolm is mainly a boy's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Malcolm?
1,088 US babies were named Malcolm in 2024. Its peak year was 1992.
How do you pronounce Malcolm?
Malcolm is usually pronounced MAL-kum.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.