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Maurice Name Meaning, Origins & History

Maurice

Pronunciation: MOR-is / maw-REES

Meaning Dark-skinned Origin Latin Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#1,020
TREND
90
Peak Years
1921, 1970, 1924
Lowest Years
1881, 1887, 1883
Energy Archetype
Hardworking & Dutiful

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 Maurice in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Maurice

  • A favorite of earlier generations: Maurice appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 5 years. Its last run lasted 1 consecutive years, from 1916 through 1916.
  • More than 138 thousand babies named Maurice: U.S. records list 138,940 babies given the name Maurice from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,611 girls received the name Maurice - about 1 girl for every 52 boys.

What Does the Name Maurice Mean?

Maurice is the English and French form of the Latin name Mauritius, a derivative of Maurus, the Latin term for a Moor - an inhabitant of Mauretania, the ancient North African region corresponding roughly to modern Morocco and western Algeria. The name therefore began as an ethnic label, and its common meaning, "dark-skinned" or "Moorish," comes from that use rather than from a descriptive adjective in Latin.

The ultimate origin of Maurus is not fully settled. It is often connected with Greek mauros, meaning "dark" or "black," but some accounts treat it as an independent North African ethnic name whose earlier source is unknown. Whichever explanation is correct, the personal name Mauritius was formed from it in Latin, and Maurice is the French descendant of that Latin name; English adopted the French form.

Maurice Name History & Origins

Latin Mauritius was used as a Roman name and became widely known through Saint Maurice, traditionally described as a third-century Roman soldier and leader of the Theban Legion. According to his legend, the legion was made up of Christians from Egyptian Thebes and was martyred for refusing to take part in pagan sacrifice under the emperor Maximian. His cult was centered at Agaunum in the Rhône valley, now Saint-Maurice in Switzerland, and spread through Burgundy, the Rhineland, and northern Italy.

The name also belonged to the Byzantine emperor Maurice, called Maurikios in Greek, who reigned from 582 to 602. A general from Cappadocia, he became emperor and was overthrown and killed with several of his sons by Phocas. His reign shows the Latin name in Greek and eastern Roman use.

From Latin Mauritius, the name developed into French Maurice, German Moritz, Italian Maurizio, Spanish Mauricio, and Dutch Maurits. English Maurice came through Old French after the Norman Conquest; the related English surname Morris developed from the same medieval name. In modern literature, E. M. Forster's novel Maurice, written in 1913 and published in 1971, uses the name for its central character, but that is a literary association, not the name's origin.

How Popular is the Name Maurice?

Maurice recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1921. Maurice ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1911 through 1914, then returned in 1916 and remained through 1916.

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.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Maurice

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.

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How the Name Maurice 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.

You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.

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