Mark
Mark was the 245th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,416 babies. Its best year was 1959, when it ranked 6th; the most babies were born in 1960 (58,727). Over the last ten years it has moved down 49 places. More babies were named Mark in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Latin, Etruscan
Say it MARK /mɑrk/
- Rank in 2025
- #245 boys, down 10 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,416boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 196058,727 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,366,672babies recorded
What does the name Mark mean?
Mark is the English form of Latin Marcus, the name of the author of the second Gospel. DMNES explains that Marcus came either from Mars, the Roman god of war, or from the Etruscan name Marce, of unknown meaning; Wiktionary and Wikipedia favor the Mars link. DMNES lists a pope, Roman and Byzantine emperors, and a 6th-century ruler of Cornwall named Mark. Wikipedia notes that Marcus was one of the three most common Roman first names.
Mārcus (Latin, “Roman first name”)Mārs (Latin, “Mars, god of war (proposed)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Mars or Etruscan Marce; DMNES leaves both open.
Related names: Marcus, Marco, Marc, Markus, Marcos.
See also: Latin names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Mark', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Mark', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Mark (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Mark popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 4,496 since 1892.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #245 | 1,416 |
| 2020 | #235 | 1,552 |
| 2010 | #162 | 2,415 |
| 2000 | #79 | 5,230 |
| 1990 | #47 | 10,689 |
| 1980 | #30 | 14,169 |
| 1970 | #9 | 31,461 |
| 1960 | #6 | 58,727 |
| 1950 | #23 | 16,604 |
| 1940 | #149 | 1,165 |
| 1930 | #220 | 591 |
| 1920 | #219 | 589 |
| 1910 | #200 | 131 |
| 1900 | #153 | 137 |
| 1890 | #169 | 83 |
| 1880 | #160 | 85 |
How popular is Mark, counting every spelling?
Mark is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #238 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #245 for Mark on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,588 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark | 1,416 | #245 | 7,106 |
| Marc | 162 | #1,237 | 940 |
| Marck | 10 | #8,019 | 33 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Mark?
1,416 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Mark (0.39 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Mark born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 6 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Mark.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Mark?
About 1,072,900 people born in the US named Mark are alive today, with a median age of 60; half are between 47 and 67. That makes Mark a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Mark by state
How common Mark was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Alaska (3.0×), Washington (2.0×), District of Columbia (1.7×), Illinois (1.6×), New Jersey (1.6×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in South Dakota, Rhode Island, Hawaii.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Mark: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Mark, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Mark · Sibling names for Mark
Questions about the name Mark
What does Mark mean?
The origin of Mark is uncertain: Mars or Etruscan Marce; DMNES leaves both open.
How popular is the name Mark?
Mark was the 245th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,416 babies. Its best year was 1959, when it ranked 6th; the most babies were born in 1960 (58,727). Over the last ten years it has moved down 49 places. More babies were named Mark in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Mark a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Mark in the US.
Where is Mark most popular?
In 2021–2025, Mark was most common in Alaska (2.44 per 1,000 boys), followed by Washington and District of Columbia.