The letter M opens the door to a world of melodic, mysterious, and magnificent names for American girls. Moving beyond the common classics, unique “M” names offer a distinctive charm—drawing from mythology, nature, global cultures, and modern invention. These names are memorable, meaningful, and beautifully uncommon, perfect for a daughter with a one-of-a-kind spirit.
This curated list features over 155 unique American baby girl names starting with M. Each name has been selected for its distinctive sound, intriguing origin, and rare usage, offering a truly individual identity.
The List of Unique “M” Names for American Girls
Page Contents
Mabel means “lovable.” A vintage charmer that’s sweet and strong, not yet overused.
Mackenna a feminine variant of the Irish surname McKenna, meaning “son of Cionaodh.”
Mackenzie means “son of Coinneach.” A popular unisex surname, but its full form remains distinctive for a girl.
Macy means “weapon.” A stylish surname-name with a friendly, modern feel.
Madalyn a modern spelling variant of Madeline.
Maddison a spelling variant of Madison.
Madelaine an elegant French spelling of Madeline.
Madelina a lyrical variant of Madeline.
Madelyn a popular spelling of Madeline.
Madelynn a modern spelling variant.
Madilyn a contemporary spelling of Madeline.
Madilynn an elaborated modern spelling.
Madison means “son of Matthew.” The iconic unisex surname-name that remains a standard.
Madisyn a creative spelling of Madison.
Mae a sweet, vintage single-syllable name, often a middle name now taking center stage.
Maeve means “she who intoxicates.” A powerful and chic Irish queen’s name.
Maggie the enduringly friendly and classic nickname for Margaret.
Magnolia the grand, fragrant Southern flower, a lush botanical choice.
Maha means “wild cow” (oryx) in Arabic, symbolizing beauty.
Mahalia means “tenderness.” A beautiful name with musical heritage (Mahalia Jackson).
Mai means “dance” in Japanese, or a variant of May.
Maia the Greek goddess of spring, or the Roman goddess of growth. A name of radiant beauty.
Maira a variant of Maira or Myra.
Mairead the Scottish Gaelic form of Margaret, pronounced “mah-raid.”
Maisie the utterly delightful Scottish diminutive of Margaret.
Maisy a cheerful spelling variant of Maisie.
Maja the Scandinavian and German form of Maia.
Makayla a modern phonetic spelling of Michaela.
Makenna a modern invented name, possibly a variant of McKenna.
Makenzie a popular spelling variant of Mackenzie.
Malaya means “free” in Tagalog. A beautiful name with a lovely meaning.
Malena a variant of Magdalena or a blend of Mary and Elena.
Mali means “jasmine” in Thai, or refers to the African country.
Maliah a variant of Malia.
Malina means “raspberry” in several Slavic languages.
Mallory means “unfortunate.” A unisex surname-name with a cool, collected sound.
Mandy a peppy nickname for Amanda that stands alone.
Manuela the elegant feminine form of Manuel.
Mara means “bitter” in Hebrew. A short, strong biblical name.
Marcela the feminine form of Marcel.
Marcella means “warlike.” A vintage name with a melodic sound.
Marcelle the French feminine form of Marcel.
Maren a Scandinavian and German form of Marina, meaning “sea.”
Margaret means “pearl.” The timeless, regal classic with endless nickname potential.
Margarita means “pearl.” The vibrant Spanish form.
Margot the chic French diminutive of Margaret.
Marguerite the French form of Margaret, also meaning “daisy.”
Maria the internationally beloved form of Mary.
Mariam the original Hebrew/Arabic form of Mary.
Marian a medieval blend of Mary and Ann.
Mariana a lyrical blend of Maria and Anna.
Marianne the elegant French compound of Marie and Anne.
Marie the classic French form of Mary.
Mariella a sweet Italian elaboration of Maria.
Marielle a chic French diminutive of Marie.
Marigold the bright, golden flower, a sunny and vintage botanical name.
Marilyn a 20th-century blend of Mary and Lynn, forever iconic.
Marina means “of the sea.” A beautiful, maritime name.
Marion a unisex medieval French diminutive of Marie.
Maris means “of the sea.” A sleek, Latin nature name.
Marisol means “sea and sun” in Spanish. A vibrant, lyrical name.
Marissa a modern elaboration of Maris.
Maritza a spirited diminutive of Maria.
Marjorie a medieval variant of Margaret.
Marla a mid-century blend of Mary and Laura.
Marlee a variant of Marley.
Marlena a blend of Maria and Magdalena.
Marlene a German blend of Maria and Magdalene, known from Dietrich.
Marley means “pleasant seaside meadow.” A unisex surname-name with a relaxed vibe.
Marnie a charming vintage nickname, possibly from Marina.
Marsali a Scottish form of Marjorie.
Martha means “lady, mistress.” A strong, vintage biblical name.
Martina the feminine form of Martin.
Marvel a virtuous word name meaning “to wonder.”
Mary means “bitter” or “beloved.” The quintessential classic, pure and simple.
Maryam a common Arabic spelling of Mariam.
Matilda means “battle-mighty.” A vintage name with spunk and strength.
Maura an Irish form of Mary.
Maureen an Irish diminutive of Maura/Mary.
Mavis means “songbird.” A sweet vintage name making a comeback.
Maxine means “greatest.” The feminine form of Max, strong and vintage.
May the lovely spring month, simple and fresh.
Maya means “illusion” in Sanskrit, or “water” in Hebrew. A globally popular, sleek name.
Mckenna a popular spelling variant of Mackenna.
Mckenzie a common spelling of Mackenzie.
Meadow a serene, open-field nature name.
Meagan a spelling variant of Megan.
Meera means “prosperous” in Sanskrit, or “sea” in Arabic.
Meg the classic, friendly short form of Margaret.
Megan the Welsh diminutive of Margaret that became a 80s/90s staple.
Meghan a spelling variant of Megan.
Mei means “beautiful” in Chinese.
Mel a short, cool unisex nickname for Melissa or Melanie.
Melanie means “black, dark.” A sweet, melodic name of Greek origin.
Melina means “honey” in Greek.
Melinda a blend of Mel and Linda, meaning “gentle, beautiful.”
Melissa means “honeybee.” A sweet, classic name.
Melody means “song.” A beautiful, musical word name.
Mercedes means “mercies.” A Spanish virtue name, also associated with the car.
Mercy means “compassion.” A pure and beautiful virtue name.
Meredith means “great ruler.” A unisex Welsh name with a sophisticated sound.
Merle means “blackbird.” A unisex vintage nature name.
Merritt means “worthy.” A unisex surname-name with a virtuous meaning.
Meryl a variant of Muriel, made famous by Meryl Streep.
Mia means “mine” in Italian, or derived from Maria. A hugely popular, short, and sweet name.
Micaela a spelling variant of Michaela.
Michaela the feminine form of Michael, meaning “who is like God?”
Michelle the French feminine form of Michael, a mid-century classic.
Mika a short, cool unisex name of multiple origins.
Mikaela a spelling variant of Michaela.
Mikayla a popular modern spelling of Michaela.
Mila means “gracious, dear.” A short, chic, and wildly popular name.
Milana a variant of Milena or a modern elaboration of Mila.
Milena means “gracious, dear.” A lovely Slavic name.
Miley a modern nickname-name, popularized by Miley Cyrus.
Millicent means “strong in work.” A strong, vintage name with cute nicknames (Millie).
Millie the adorable vintage nickname for Millicent or Mildred.
Milly a spelling variant of Millie.
Mimi a charming, international affectionate nickname.
Mina a short, sweet name, often a diminutive of Wilhelmina.
Mira means “wonderful, peace” in Sanskrit, or “look” in Latin.
Mirabel means “wonderful.” A lovely, rare name.
Mirabelle the French form, meaning “wonderful.”
Miracle a modern, hopeful word name.
Miranda means “worthy of admiration.” A Shakespearean name of beauty and strength.
Miriam the original Hebrew form of Mary, strong and classic.
Misty a nature name evoking soft fog, vintage and ethereal.
Mitzi a spunky German diminutive of Maria.
Modesty a rare and meaningful virtue name.
Moe a unisex short form of Maureen or Moses.
Moira the Irish form of Mary, also related to the Greek “moira” (fate).
Mollie a sweet, vintage spelling of Molly.
Molly the enduringly cheerful nickname for Mary.
Mona means “noble, aristocratic.” A short, artistic name.
Monica of uncertain origin, a classic name with a calm, intelligent feel.
Monique the elegant French form of Monica.
Monroe means “mouth of the Roe River.” A cool unisex surname-name.
Mora a variant of Moira or a name meaning “blackberry” in Spanish.
Morgan means “sea-born.” A strong, unisex Welsh name.
Moriah a biblical place name, strong and spiritual.
Muriel means “bright sea.” A vintage name with a gentle, melodic sound.
Myra a poetic name invented in the 17th century.
Myrna means “beloved” in Irish, or “tender” in Slavic.
Myrtle the evergreen shrub, a vintage botanical name.
More Unique and Rare “M” Finds
Mabry an English surname-name, meaning “mother’s strength.”
Mackenzie repeated for its unisex, friendly strength.
Macy repeated for its crisp, modern style.
Madalena the Portuguese and Spanish form of Magdalene.
Madelief means “daisy” in Dutch. Utterly charming and rare.
Madigan an Irish surname meaning “son of the little dog.”
Maeja a modern invented name.
Maelle a beautiful Breton name meaning “princess.”
Maelys a Breton name, a variant of Maelle.
Magda a short, strong form of Magdalena.
Magdalena the full, elegant form from the biblical place Magdala.
Magdalene the classic form, pronounced “mag-da-leen” or “mag-da-lee-nee.”
Magna means “great” in Latin.
Mahina means “moon” in Hawaiian.
Maile a Hawaiian vine used for leis, pronounced “MY-lee.”
Mair the Welsh form of Mary.
Mairi the Scottish Gaelic form of Mary.
Maj means “pearl” in Scandinavian.
Makani means “wind” in Hawaiian.
Malachi a biblical name meaning “my messenger,” traditionally male but uniquely used for girls.
Malaya repeated for its beautiful meaning of “freedom.”
Maleah a modern invented name.
Maliyah a modern elaboration of Mali.
Mallie a vintage nickname, possibly for Margaret or Mary.
Malu means “peace” in Hawaiian.
Manami means “love, beauty” in Japanese.
Manon the charming French diminutive of Marie.
Maple the sweet tree, a cozy and uncommon nature name.
Mara repeated for its stark, biblical beauty.
Marceline the elegant French feminine form of Marcel.
Mare means “sea” in Latin, a short, powerful nature name.
Maren repeated for its soft, sea-related sound.
Mareva a Tahitian name meaning “the passing wave.”
Marieke the Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Marigold repeated for its cheerful, vintage floral charm.
Marilla a literary name from Anne of Green Gables.
Marin a unisex variant of Marina.
Mariposa means “butterfly” in Spanish. Whimsical and beautiful.
Marjani means “coral” in Swahili.
Marlowe a sophisticated surname-name, meaning “driftwood.”
Marta the Italian, Spanish, and Scandinavian form of Martha.
Martine the French feminine form of Martin.
Marvel repeated as a unique virtue name.
Marybeth a vintage compound of Mary and Beth.
Maryjane a mid-century compound name.
Mattea the feminine form of Matthew.
Mattie a vintage nickname for Matilda or Martha.
Maud the medieval form of Matilda.
Maura repeated for its simple, Irish charm.
Mavis repeated for its sweet, ornithological vintage feel.
Maxima the feminine form of Maximus, meaning “greatest.”
Maybelline an elaborated vintage name, known from the cosmetics brand.
Mayim means “water” in Hebrew, known from actress Mayim Bialik.
Mazie a variant of Maisie.
Mckenna repeated for its perky, modern sound.
Medora a poetic name of uncertain origin.
Meera repeated for its serene, cross-cultural beauty.
Mehetabel a biblical name meaning “God makes happy.” Very rare.
Mei repeated for its simple, global elegance.
Melantha means “dark flower” in Greek.
Meliora means “better” in Latin.
Melisande a medieval French form of Millicent, lyrical and rare.
Melusine a figure from European folklore, a mermaid-like fairy.
Merari a biblical name meaning “bitter.”
Mercy repeated for its pure, virtuous appeal.
Meridian a celestial and geographical word name.
Merit a virtuous word name meaning “deserving.”
Merle repeated for its vintage, nature-inspired unisex cool.
Meta a short form of Margaret in German, or meaning “goal” in Greek.
Miette means “crumb” in French, an adorable, quirky choice.
Mikaia a modern elaboration of Mika.
Milan a sleek European place-name, unisex and cool.
Mildred means “gentle strength.” A vintage name ripe for revival.
Miliani a Hawaiian place name meaning “gentle touch.”
Mills a cool, short surname-name.
Minka a diminutive of Wilhelmina in German/Dutch, cute and rare.
Minna a German diminutive of Wilhelmina, meaning “love.”
Minnow a small fish, a quirky and cute nature name.
Minta a diminutive of Araminta.
Mira repeated for its short, global, and meaningful sound.
Mireille means “to admire” in Provençal French, pronounced “mee-RAY.”
Mireya the Spanish form of Mireille.
Miri a Hebrew diminutive of Miriam.
Mischa the Russian diminutive of Michael, used unisexly.
Misty repeated for its dreamy, natural vibe.
Mitra a Persian goddess of friendship and the sun.
Moana means “ocean” in Polynesian languages.
Mona repeated for its artistic, simple aura.
Monday the day of the week, a bold and modern time name.
Morag means “sun” in Scottish Gaelic.
Morwenna a Welsh name possibly meaning “waves of the sea.”
Moxie means “courage, pep.” A spunky modern word name.
Moyra a variant spelling of Moira.
Muna means “wish, desire” in Arabic.
Munya means “wish” in Shona.
Murphy an Irish surname meaning “sea warrior,” unisex and lively.
Musidora means “gift of the muses.” An extravagantly artistic name.
Myfanwy a Welsh name meaning “my woman.” Pronounced “mih-VAN-wee.”
Myla a modern invented name, likely a variant of Mila.
Mylene a modern French name, possibly a blend of Marie and Helene.
Mylah a spelling variant of Mila.
Myna a type of bird, similar to a starling.
Mystique means “air of mystery.” A cool, modern word name.
Myth a short, bold word name for a storyteller.
Why Choose a Unique “M” Name for Your Daughter?
A unique “M” name marries a familiar, melodic first letter with a distinctive identity. The “M” sound is soft and appealing, leading into names that are often lyrical and memorable. Choosing a unique “M” name—like Maeve, Marigold, Mirabel, or Marlow—ensures your daughter will have a name that stands out for its beauty and character, not just its rarity. It’s a gift of individuality with a wonderfully pleasant sound.
Final Thoughts
Finding a unique name is about discovering a hidden treasure that resonates. Say your favorites aloud. Does Maeve Josephine sound powerfully chic? Does Marigold Grace feel sunny and vintage? Perhaps the strong Matilda June or the ethereal Mira Skye captures the essence you imagine. Whether you are drawn to the botanical Magnolia, the mythical Maia, the vintage Mabel, or the cool Monroe, a unique “M” name is a gift of individuality and timeless beauty for your daughter.
