Martin Boy
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 | |
| TX | 150 | |
| FL | 87 | |
| NY | 64 | |
| IL | 54 | |
| AZ | 43 | |
| WI | 25 | |
| GA | 25 | |
| TN | 25 | |
| NC | 24 | |
| MI | 24 | |
| PA | 23 | |
| MN | 23 | |
| MA | 21 | |
| IN | 19 |
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.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,101 |
| 2023 | 1,152 |
| 2022 | 1,108 |
| 2021 | 1,103 |
| 2020 | 1,168 |
| 2019 | 1,253 |
| 2018 | 1,296 |
| 2017 | 1,282 |
| 2016 | 1,396 |
| 2015 | 1,344 |
| 2014 | 1,434 |
| 2013 | 1,346 |
| 2012 | 1,350 |
| 2011 | 1,321 |
| 2010 | 1,333 |
| 2009 | 1,526 |
| 2008 | 1,700 |
| 2007 | 1,881 |
| 2006 | 1,942 |
| 2005 | 1,836 |
| 2004 | 1,858 |
| 2003 | 1,888 |
| 2002 | 1,959 |
| 2001 | 2,061 |
| 2000 | 2,110 |
| 1999 | 2,036 |
| 1998 | 2,068 |
| 1997 | 2,229 |
| 1996 | 2,282 |
| 1995 | 2,397 |
| 1994 | 2,594 |
| 1993 | 2,817 |
| 1992 | 2,931 |
| 1991 | 2,893 |
| 1990 | 3,080 |
| 1989 | 2,797 |
| 1988 | 2,652 |
| 1987 | 2,406 |
| 1986 | 2,377 |
| 1985 | 2,136 |
| 1984 | 2,136 |
| 1983 | 2,175 |
| 1982 | 2,169 |
| 1981 | 2,152 |
| 1980 | 2,227 |
| 1979 | 2,020 |
| 1978 | 2,050 |
| 1977 | 2,155 |
| 1976 | 2,170 |
| 1975 | 2,162 |
| 1974 | 2,370 |
| 1973 | 2,400 |
| 1972 | 2,422 |
| 1971 | 3,023 |
| 1970 | 3,502 |
| 1969 | 3,757 |
| 1968 | 4,074 |
| 1967 | 3,834 |
| 1966 | 4,210 |
| 1965 | 4,934 |
| 1964 | 5,729 |
| 1963 | 6,070 |
| 1962 | 5,541 |
| 1961 | 5,471 |
| 1960 | 5,496 |
| 1959 | 5,351 |
| 1958 | 5,668 |
| 1957 | 5,966 |
| 1956 | 5,682 |
| 1955 | 5,067 |
| 1954 | 4,968 |
| 1953 | 4,778 |
| 1952 | 4,736 |
| 1951 | 4,596 |
| 1950 | 4,180 |
| 1949 | 3,902 |
| 1948 | 3,698 |
| 1947 | 3,724 |
| 1946 | 3,333 |
| 1945 | 2,823 |
| 1944 | 2,767 |
| 1943 | 3,080 |
| 1942 | 3,046 |
| 1941 | 2,605 |
| 1940 | 2,423 |
| 1939 | 2,192 |
| 1938 | 2,313 |
| 1937 | 2,278 |
| 1936 | 2,106 |
| 1935 | 2,116 |
| 1934 | 2,178 |
| 1933 | 2,064 |
| 1932 | 2,255 |
| 1931 | 2,103 |
| 1930 | 2,322 |
| 1929 | 2,309 |
| 1928 | 2,427 |
| 1927 | 2,383 |
| 1926 | 2,493 |
| 1925 | 2,417 |
| 1924 | 2,452 |
| 1923 | 2,459 |
| 1922 | 2,403 |
| 1921 | 2,461 |
| 1920 | 2,439 |
| 1919 | 2,204 |
| 1918 | 2,403 |
| 1917 | 2,336 |
| 1916 | 2,122 |
| 1915 | 2,070 |
| 1914 | 1,676 |
| 1913 | 1,259 |
| 1912 | 1,064 |
| 1911 | 567 |
| 1910 | 396 |
| 1909 | 391 |
| 1908 | 331 |
| 1907 | 329 |
| 1906 | 334 |
| 1905 | 332 |
| 1904 | 334 |
| 1903 | 283 |
| 1902 | 325 |
| 1901 | 304 |
| 1900 | 383 |
| 1899 | 260 |
| 1898 | 339 |
| 1897 | 312 |
| 1896 | 343 |
| 1895 | 317 |
| 1894 | 299 |
| 1893 | 347 |
| 1892 | 359 |
| 1891 | 331 |
| 1890 | 347 |
| 1889 | 367 |
| 1888 | 378 |
| 1887 | 331 |
| 1886 | 329 |
| 1885 | 357 |
| 1884 | 385 |
| 1883 | 377 |
| 1882 | 387 |
| 1881 | 327 |
| 1880 | 357 |