NNameRarity
Browse A–ZRarestPopularHinduOriginsSikhJainBuddhist
✨ UncommonBoy nameScottish Gaelic

Malcolm

“Devotee of Saint Columba”

2 syllables · 7 letters

About the name Malcolm

Four Scottish kings were called Malcolm, and the name means follower of Columba, the monk who brought Christianity to Scotland. It has always sounded like someone who thinks before speaking.

Malcolm is a boy name of Scottish Gaelic origin, pronounced MAL-kum. On the NameRarity scale it scores 48 out of 100, which places it in the uncommon band — familiar to everyone, yet rarely duplicated in the same room. Its strongest period was the 1960s.

Associated with
independentarticulateprincipleddirect

Name facts at a glance

Meaning
Devotee of Saint Columba
Origin
Scottish Gaelic
Gender
Boy
Pronunciation
MAL-kum
Syllables
2
Letters
7
US rank
#560
Peak era
1960s
Rarity
48 / 100
Per million
~120
Starts with
M
Numerology
6 · The Nurturer

How popular is Malcolm?

Popularity52/100
Rarity48/100

Malcolm sits at approximately #560 in recent US rankings. Roughly 120 people per million carry it — about 1 in 8,333. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.

Famous people named Malcolm

  • Malcolm X
    American civil rights leader
  • Malcolm Gladwell
    Canadian journalist and author

Spellings and variants of Malcolm

MalCalum

Names similar to Malcolm

Ultra Rare

Bhagat

BUG-ut

Devotee, the title of the saint-poets in the Guru Granth Sahib

Sanskrit92% rare
Rare

Meera

MEE-rah

Ocean, boundary; borne by Mirabai, the Rajput saint-poet devoted to Krishna

Sanskrit57% rare
Uncommon

Damian

DAY-mee-an

To tame or subdue

Greek37% rare
Rare

Fabian

FAY-bee-un

Of the Fabius family, bean grower

Latin57% rare
Uncommon

Griffin

GRIF-in

Strong lord, from Gruffudd

Welsh49% rare
Uncommon

Jasper

JAS-per

Bringer of treasure

Persian39% rare
Rare

Mohan

MOH-hahn

Enchanting, bewitching; a name of Krishna

Sanskrit74% rare
Ultra Rare

Achyut

uh-CHOO-t

The infallible one, an epithet of Vishnu meaning never fallen

Sanskrit95% rare
Browse all 1,284 names →

Malcolm — frequently asked questions

What does the name Malcolm mean?

Malcolm means "Devotee of Saint Columba". It is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, most often given to a boy.

How do you pronounce Malcolm?

Malcolm is pronounced MAL-kum, with 2 syllables.

How rare is the name Malcolm?

Malcolm scores 48 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it uncommon. Roughly 1 in every 8,333 people carry it — about 120 per million.

What is the numerology number for Malcolm?

Malcolm carries the expression number 6, known as The Nurturer. Its soul urge number is 7 and its personality number is 8.

What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Malcolm?

The lucky number for Malcolm is 6 (with 15, 24, 33 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Rose Blush. The traditional lucky day is Friday and the associated gemstone is Rose Quartz.

Is Malcolm a popular name?

Malcolm currently sits around rank #560 in the United States, and its strongest period was the 1960s.