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Name Lineage

    The first name Mordecai

    A boy’s name from Hebrew.

    Pronounced /ˈmɔː(ɹ)dəkaɪ̯/ 3 syllables Male

    Meaning and origin

    Hebrew origin

    Borrowed from Hebrew מָרְדֳּכַי (mordocháy).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 3 boys were named Mordecai, making it the 5,137th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2017, with 7 births (#2,734).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    64
    babies named Mordecai, 1996–2025
    #5,137
    rank in 2025
    2017
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Mordecai with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Mordecai at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 70 boys born in the United States were named Mordecai, the 2,100th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 99 were.

    050100 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    1,650
    babies named Mordecai since 1880
    #2,100
    rank in 2025
    2022
    peak year

    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.

    Mordecai in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Mordechaj
    Polish

    Spelled Mordecai in Italian too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Mordecai

    10 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Mordecai Richler
      Canadian writer (1931–2001)
    • Mordecai Cubitt Cooke
      English botanist and mycologist (1825–1914)
    • Mordecai Manuel Noah
      American playwright, diplomat, journalist, and utopian, 1785–1851
    • Mordecai Roshwald
      American writer (1921-2015)
    • Mordecai Yoffe
      Bohemian rabbi (c. 1530 – 1612)
    • Mordecai Bartley
      American politician (1783-1870)
    • Mordecai Meisel
      Czech entrepreneur (1528-1601)
    • Mordecai Benet
      Chief rabbi of Moravia and Nikolsburg (1753–1829)
    • Mordechai Eliyahu
      Chief Rabbi of Israel (1983–1993)
    • Mordechai Ben David
      American-Israeli musician, born 1951

    More Hebrew boys’ names

    All 346 names of Hebrew origin

    Questions

    What does the name Mordecai mean?
    Borrowed from Hebrew מָרְדֳּכַי (mordocháy).
    What is the origin of the name Mordecai?
    Borrowed from Hebrew מָרְדֳּכַי (mordocháy).
    How popular is the name Mordecai?
    In 2025, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Mordecai, ranking 5,137th. Its peak was 2017, with 7 births.
    Is Mordecai a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,650 US babies named Mordecai since 1880 were boys.
    When was Mordecai most popular?
    2022 in the United States, when 99 babies were named Mordecai, its highest rank at 1,716th.
    How do you pronounce Mordecai?
    Mordecai is /ˈmɔː(ɹ)dəkaɪ̯/, 3 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Mordecai?
    Mordechai.