The first name Malcolm
A boy’s name from Scottish Gaelic meaning “devotee of [saint] columba”, “tonsured”, “dove”.
Pronounced /ˈmæl.kəm/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Scottish Gaelic origin
Malcolm means “devotee of [saint] columba”, “tonsured”, “dove” in Scottish Gaelic.
Royal name in Scotland, anglicised from various historical Goidelic names equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim or Calum, Irish Maol Colm, Middle Irish Máel Coluim, Old Irish Máel Columb (literally “devotee of [Saint] Columba”); proper nouns derived from máel (“tonsured”) from Proto-Celtic *mailos, and columb (“dove”) from Latin columbus.
More names that mean bird.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 21 boys were named Malcolm, making it the 1,307th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 39 births (#472).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Malcolm with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Malcolm at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,257 boys born in the United States were named Malcolm, the 272nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1992, when 1,495 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Malcolm
- Malc
Famous people named Malcolm
121 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Malcolm XAmerican Black rights activist (1925–1965)
- Malcolm McDowellBritish actor (born 1943)
- Malcolm FraserAustralian politician, 22nd Prime Minister of Australia (1930-2015)
- Malcolm YoungAustralian guitarist (1953–2017)
- Malcolm LowryBritish writer (1909–1957)
- Malcolm GladwellCanadian journalist and science writer, born 1963
- Malcolm ArnoldEnglish composer and conductor (1921–2006)
- Malcolm David KelleyAmerican actor, born 1992
- Malcolm McLarenEnglish fashion designer and music manager (1946–2010)
- Malcolm MuggeridgeEnglish journalist, author, media personality, and satirist (1903-1990)
- Malcolm GlazerAmerican businessman, sports franchise owner (1928–2014)
- Malcolm ForbesAmerican publisher (1919–1990)
More Scottish Gaelic boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Malcolm mean?
- Malcolm means “devotee of [saint] columba”, “tonsured”, “dove” in Scottish Gaelic.
- What is the origin of the name Malcolm?
- Royal name in Scotland, anglicised from various historical Goidelic names equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim or Calum, Irish Maol Colm, Middle Irish Máel Coluim, Old Irish Máel Columb (literally “devotee of [Saint] Columba”); proper nouns derived from máel (“tonsured”) from Proto-Celtic…
- How popular is the name Malcolm?
- In 2025, 21 boys born in England and Wales were named Malcolm, ranking 1,307th. Its peak was 1996, with 39 births.
- What are nicknames for Malcolm?
- Common nicknames for Malcolm include Malc.
- Is Malcolm a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 70,328 US babies named Malcolm since 1880 were boys.
- When was Malcolm most popular?
- 1992 in the United States, when 1,495 babies were named Malcolm, its highest rank at 206th.
- How do you pronounce Malcolm?
- Malcolm is /ˈmæl.kəm/, 2 syllables.
- What name is Malcolm a form of?
- Malcolm is a form of Calum and Callum.
- Is Malcolm also a surname?
- Yes. Malcolm is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.