Amok as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Amok

What is the meaning of the name Amok ?

The baby name Amok is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /əˈmɑk/ (uh-MOK).

Amok is Indonesian, Malay in Origin.

Amok draws its roots from Malay/Indonesian amuk, “a furious attack” or “to charge wildly.” The term spread to European languages through 16th–17th-century Portuguese and English accounts, giving English the idiom “run amok.” As a lexical borrowing, it kept the sense of uncontrollable frenzy, a notion tied in Malay culture to a sudden berserk state.

As a given name, Amok is extremely rare and functions as a modern, unisex word-name with an edgy, kinetic feel rather than a traditional onomastic history. Documented variants include Amuk (the Malay spelling) and the older English orthography Amuck; diminutives like Mo or Amo appear in informal use. Parents should note that in many English-speaking contexts the word retains intense connotations, while in Southeast Asia it is a common noun, not a personal name. Meaning: wild, unrestrained, in a frenzy; figuratively, unstoppable energy.