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Malcolm as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Malcolm

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The baby name Malcolm is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmæl.kəm/ (MAL-kəm).

Malcolm is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation: /ˈmæl.kəm/ (MAL-kəm)

What is the meaning of the name Malcolm ?

The baby name Malcolm is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmæl.kəm/ (MAL-kəm).

Malcolm is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

Malcolm is the Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim/Maol Chaluim, from máel “tonsured one, devotee” + Coluim, the genitive of Columba - the 6th‑century missionary saint - so the sense is “devotee (servant) of Saint Columba.” It entered Scots via early Gaelic-speaking Alba and became established as a royal and ecclesiastical name.

Borne by early kings of Scotland - Malcolm I, II, III (“Canmore”), and IV - it signaled dynastic legitimacy; Shakespeare’s tragedy popularized Malcolm as the virtuous heir opposing Macbeth. The name spread throughout the Anglophone world in the 19th–20th centuries, buoyed by figures such as Malcolm X and novelist Malcolm Lowry. Variant spellings include Malcom and Malcomb; the Scottish Gaelic forms Máel Coluim and Maol Chaluim are attested in Gaelic sources. Short forms are Mal and Mac; related names from the Columba root include Callum, Colm, and Columba.

Malcolm has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Malcolm

Malcolm X Politician · Born 1925 · United States Malcolm X was a prominent civil rights leader in the United States, known for his advocacy for the rights of African Americans. He was a key figure in the Nation of Islam and authored the influential autobiography 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X'. Malcolm Turnbull Politician · Born 1954 · Australia Malcolm Turnbull is best known for serving as Australia’s 29th prime minister from 2015 to 2018. He is an Australian former politician, businessman, and barrister who also led the Liberal Party in 2008–2009 and again in 2015–2018, and represented the New South Wales seat of Wentworth in parliament from 2004 to 2018. Malcolm Fraser Politician · Born 1930 · Australia Malcolm Fraser was an Australian politician best known for serving as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983. He also led the Liberal Party and remains one of the country’s longest-serving prime ministers.
Malcolm III of Scotland Politician · Born 1031 · Kingdom of Scotland Malcolm III of Scotland was most famous for serving as King of Alba, or Scotland, from 1058 to 1093. Also known in Gaelic as Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, he ruled in the 11th century until his death in 1093. Malcolm Young Musician · Born 1953 · Australia Malcolm Young was best known as a founding member of AC/DC, where he played rhythm guitar, helped write many of the band’s songs, and sang backing vocals. The Australian musician was a key force behind hits like “Highway to Hell,” “Back in Black,” and “Thunderstruck.” Malcolm I of Scotland Politician · Born 897 · Kingdom of Scotland Malcolm I of Scotland, also known as Máel Coluim mac Domnaill, is best known as an early king of Alba. He ruled from before 943 until 954, taking the throne after his cousin Constantine II abdicated to become a monk.

Celebrity babies named Malcolm

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Malcolm Washington Denzel Washington film director ★★★★★
Malcolm Hiệp Mulaney Olivia Munn television actor ★★★★★ John Mulaney television actor ★★★★★

Malcolm – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 — 836
FJ Boys 0 #17 1 603
MT 0 #20 24 1,767
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
MT Boys 0 #53 178 4,064
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
CY 0 #60 1 1,632
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
JP 0 #73 5 4,057
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
CN 0 #84 3 3,857
JM 0 #92 2 3,714
QA 0 #103 4 7,011
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
PH 0 #109 2 5,607
GE Boys 0 #110 1 2,055
HU 0 #115 1 1,675
OM 0 #118 4 6,215
CY Boys 0 #123 9 3,473
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
ID Boys 0 #134 2 4,130
BN Boys 0 #135 5 6,332
Switzerland Boys 2024 #136 2 1,769
MU 0 #136 2 3,613
Canada Boys 2024 #138 199 2,588
BW Boys 0 #147 8 4,685
Sweden Boys 2022 #153 30 1,509
MT Girls 0 #153 1 3,773
CR 0 #164 2 5,526
HU Boys 0 #173 2 3,954
PR Boys 0 #178 1 2,508
AE 0 #179 9 10,220
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
NA Boys 0 #215 21 6,830
JM Boys 0 #217 56 6,876
LU Boys 0 #219 2 4,970
SG 0 #232 38 11,010
AO Boys 0 #243 7 5,568
TW Boys 0 #249 8 7,111
PT 0 #250 1 4,161
MO Girls 0 #263 1 7,056
NG 0 #267 6 5,926
ZA 0 #269 180 14,421
GR Boys 0 #270 4 6,912
JM Girls 0 #276 3 7,507
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
United States Boys 2024 #289 1,088 7,044
JP Boys 0 #300 4 7,909
AL Boys 0 #303 1 5,122
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
CN Boys 0 #307 13 9,639
SA 0 #309 4 10,560
MY 0 #310 21 12,352
PE 0 #328 2 6,350
DK Boys 0 #330 3 7,401
ZA Boys 0 #331 1,811 25,619
GH Boys 0 #335 11 8,138
PL Boys 0 #339 2 6,459
HK 0 #349 9 8,483
MU Boys 0 #366 4 8,477
France Boys 2021 #370 18 2,865
PH Boys 0 #370 14 11,440
PT Boys 0 #373 9 7,951
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
YE 0 #398 1 8,639
UY Boys 0 #410 4 5,922
EG 0 #411 2 6,387
SG Boys 0 #423 284 17,960
CL 0 #433 2 6,867
Spain 0 #443 10 2,326
MX 0 #443 3 8,339
CR Boys 0 #456 32 10,188
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
PA Boys 0 #468 14 9,305
AR Boys 0 #477 7 7,628
HK Boys 0 #477 51 12,905
CO 0 #508 3 7,768
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
CM Boys 0 #535 16 12,054
BH 0 #542 12 17,937
PS Boys 0 #558 4 10,655
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
KW Girls 0 #561 1 19,177
IR Boys 0 #564 2 10,162
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
AE Girls 0 #597 1 20,968
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
BO Boys 0 #616 7 9,244
IL Boys 0 #617 9 10,983
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
CL Boys 0 #631 35 13,390
SG Girls 0 #632 1 18,916
HK Girls 0 #649 2 16,104
Finland Boys 2026 #661 22 3,552
QA Boys 0 #679 29 18,093
LB 0 #690 1 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
IT 0 #704 11 4,183
BR Boys 0 #739 13 12,213
KW Boys 0 #755 15 18,755
NG Girls 0 #821 6 15,093
Spain Boys 0 #839 92 5,610
OM Boys 0 #858 24 17,948
PE Boys 0 #863 16 14,506
TN 0 #864 2 13,765
NL Boys 0 #872 80 5,873
NG Boys 0 #880 72 16,906
CO Boys 0 #889 32 15,656
Germany Boys 0 #890 63 5,697
EG Boys 0 #922 4 15,035
MY Boys 0 #929 184 25,439
MX Boys 0 #954 29 16,355
IN Boys 0 #991 11 16,750
SA Girls 0 #1,014 1 25,931
AE Boys 0 #1,038 55 22,615
MY Girls 0 #1,072 1 24,821
MA 0 #1,112 17 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,132 10 25,928
DZ 0 #1,155 22 20,130
TR 0 #1,189 23 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,345 127 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,580 35 28,008

Malcolm is popular in 75 countries — most recent births per country:

Scotland, United Kingdom
Ireland
France
Canada
Sweden

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Malcolm

Malcolm is predominantly a boy's name.
Malcolm is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈmæl.kəm/ (MAL-kəm).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Máel Coluim, Maol Choluim, Malcom, Malky and Mal.
Across languages, Malcolm has these equivalents: Columba (Latin), Colm (Irish), Colum (Irish/Scottish).
Yes, very popular — Malcolm ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 9 countries.
Malcolm ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Malcolm's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 9 notable people named Malcolm are in our database, including Malcolm X (Politician), Malcolm Turnbull (Politician), Malcolm Fraser (Politician).
Yes — at least 2 celebrity couples have chosen Malcolm for their child, including Denzel Washington.