Martin Name Meaning, Origins & History

Martin

Pronunciation: MAHR-tin

Meaning Warlike Origin Latin Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#335
TREND
27

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Martin in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Martin

  • Decades of popularity: Martin stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 91 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1970.
  • More than 317 thousand babies named Martin: U.S. records list 317,032 babies given the name Martin from 1880 through 2025. Even 1,476 girls received the name Martin - about 1 girl for every 214 boys.

What Does the Name Martin Mean?

Martin is the English form of the Latin name Martinus, which is usually explained as "of Mars" or "belonging to Mars." It comes from Mars, the Roman god of war, whose genitive form is Martis, combined with the suffix -inus. The literal sense is "pertaining to Mars," and because Mars was a war god, the name is commonly glossed as "warlike." The deeper origin of the god's name Mars is not certain, but the derivation of Martinus from Mars is the standard explanation.

Martin Name History & Origins

The Latin Martinus was used as a personal name in the Roman Empire and appears in late antiquity. Its spread in medieval Europe is closely associated with St. Martin of Tours (c. 316 - 397), a soldier from Pannonia who became bishop of Tours in Gaul. His cult was widespread, and his feast on November 11 became known as Martinmas in England and other parts of Europe. Other early church figures named Martin include St. Martin of Braga (c. 520 - 580) and Pope Martin I (pope 649 - 653).

From Latin, the name passed into vernacular languages as Old French Martin, German Martin, Spanish Martín, Italian Martino, and Irish Máirtín, among others. In English, Martin was in use in the Middle Ages. It was later borne by Martin Luther (1483 - 1546), the German reformer, and by St. Martin de Porres (1579 - 1639), a Peruvian friar.

How Popular is the Name Martin?

Martin has maintained century-spanning popularity, remaining an unbroken fixture in the U.S. top 100 continuously from 1880 to 1970.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Famous People Named Martin

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Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

Longtime Favorite Boy Names

Longtime Favorite Boy Names Through the Years

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How the Name Martin Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.

Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.

✦ Martin's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Martin's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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