Martin Boy

Popularity: #291 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAR-tin /ˈmɑːrtɪn/

Origin: Latin; English

Meaning: Latin: of Mars; English: warrior

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Martin derives from the Latin name Martinus, which is a diminutive form of the name Mars, the Roman god of war. The etymological roots can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European word *mārs, which signifies 'male' or 'manly.' The name entered the English language through the Old French form Martin, which was adopted after the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, facilitating its integration into Middle English.

Historically, the name Martin is closely associated with Saint Martin of Tours, a prominent figure in early Christianity who lived during the 4th century. He is best known for his acts of charity, particularly the famous story of sharing his cloak with a beggar.

Saint Martin became one of the most revered saints in Western Christianity, and his feast day is celebrated on November 11. His influence helped popularize the name throughout Europe, especially in regions where his cult was strong, such as France and Germany.

The name Martin has maintained cultural significance over the centuries, often symbolizing qualities such as bravery and compassion, reflecting the attributes associated with its saintly namesake. It has been borne by various notable historical figures, including several kings and popes, which further cemented its status in both religious and secular contexts.

Additionally, the name has been used in various literary works and has appeared in significant translations, including the King James Bible, where it is mentioned in relation to early Christian figures. The enduring legacy of the name is also seen in its various diminutive forms, such as Marty, which have been used in different cultures.

Famous people named Martin

In this section, you will find notable people named Martin. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Martin who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Martin who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Martin Scorsese is a director best known for Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and The Irishman.

Martin Luther King Jr. is a civil rights leader best known for his role in the American civil rights movement, his 'I Have a Dream' speech, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Martin Freeman is an actor best known for The Hobbit, Sherlock, and The Office (UK).

Martin Short is an actor and comedian best known for SCTV, Three Amigos, and Father of the Bride.

Martin Garrix is a DJ and music producer best known for Animals, Scared to Be Lonely, and There for You.

Martin Sheen is an actor best known for Apocalypse Now, The West Wing, and The Departed.

Martin Solveig is a DJ and music producer best known for Hello, The Night Out, and Places.

Fictional characters named Martin

The following list of fictional characters named Martin is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Martin Prince is a fictional character from the animated television series The Simpsons. He is a smart and studious classmate of Bart Simpson, often portrayed as a nerdy character.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Martin, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Martin. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Martin was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Martin has ranked as high as #132 nationally, which occurred in 1963, and has been most popular in California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

In the past 5 years the name Martin has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Martin is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Martin was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Martin (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 161
16%
TX 150
15%
FL 87
9%
NY 64
6%
IL 54
5%
AZ 43
4%
WI 25
2%
GA 25
2%
TN 25
2%
NC 24
2%
MI 24
2%
PA 23
2%
MN 23
2%
MA 21
2%
IN 19
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Martin.

YearBirths
20241,101
20231,152
20221,108
20211,103
20201,168
20191,253
20181,296
20171,282
20161,396
20151,344
20141,434
20131,346
20121,350
20111,321
20101,333
20091,526
20081,700
20071,881
20061,942
20051,836
20041,858
20031,888
20021,959
20012,061
20002,110
19992,036
19982,068
19972,229
19962,282
19952,397
19942,594
19932,817
19922,931
19912,893
19903,080
19892,797
19882,652
19872,406
19862,377
19852,136
19842,136
19832,175
19822,169
19812,152
19802,227
19792,020
19782,050
19772,155
19762,170
19752,162
19742,370
19732,400
19722,422
19713,023
19703,502
19693,757
19684,074
19673,834
19664,210
19654,934
19645,729
19636,070
19625,541
19615,471
19605,496
19595,351
19585,668
19575,966
19565,682
19555,067
19544,968
19534,778
19524,736
19514,596
19504,180
19493,902
19483,698
19473,724
19463,333
19452,823
19442,767
19433,080
19423,046
19412,605
19402,423
19392,192
19382,313
19372,278
19362,106
19352,116
19342,178
19332,064
19322,255
19312,103
19302,322
19292,309
19282,427
19272,383
19262,493
19252,417
19242,452
19232,459
19222,403
19212,461
19202,439
19192,204
19182,403
19172,336
19162,122
19152,070
19141,676
19131,259
19121,064
1911567
1910396
1909391
1908331
1907329
1906334
1905332
1904334
1903283
1902325
1901304
1900383
1899260
1898339
1897312
1896343
1895317
1894299
1893347
1892359
1891331
1890347
1889367
1888378
1887331
1886329
1885357
1884385
1883377
1882387
1881327
1880357