How to say it
MAL · colm
ˈmæl.kəm
Masculine
Malcolm
Devotee of St. Columba
What it means
From the Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, 'disciple of St. Columba,' the monk who carried Christianity to Scotland.
Malcolm is the Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, 'follower or servant of Columba,' the 6th-century saint of Iona. Four medieval kings of Scotland wore it, and Shakespeare put Malcolm at the rightful end of Macbeth. In the 20th century Malcolm X gave the name a second, distinctly American weight, and the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle made it everyday again. Mal and Cal are the natural shorts, and it shares the Columba root with Callum.
How to spell Malcolm
The standard spelling is Malcolm. Common variants include Malcom, Calum, Callum, but Malcolm is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #205 in 1928, currently #272 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Malcolm X anchors the name in American history; Macbeth's Malcolm and Malcolm in the Middle round out the references.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Malcolm X American Muslim minister and civil-rights leader
- Malcolm III 11th-century King of Scotland, a figure in Shakespeare's Macbeth
Spelling variants
- Malcom
- Calum
- Callum
Names with the same feeling
See Malcolm from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Malcolm mean?
- From the Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, 'disciple of St. Columba,' the monk who carried Christianity to Scotland.
- What does Malcolm mean in Scottish Gaelic?
- In Scottish Gaelic, Malcolm means "Devotee of St. Columba." Malcolm is the Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, 'follower or servant of Columba,' the 6th-century saint of Iona. Four medieval kings of Scotland wore it, and Shakespeare put Malcolm at the rightful end of Macbeth. In the 20th century Malcolm X gave the name a second, distinctly American weight, and the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle made it everyday again. Mal and Cal are the natural shorts, and it shares the Columba root with Callum.
- How do you pronounce Malcolm?
- Malcolm is pronounced ˈmæl.kəm. Say it as MAL-colm, with the stress on the "mal" syllable.
- How do you spell Malcolm?
- The standard spelling is Malcolm. Common spelling variants include Malcom, Calum, Callum.
- Is Malcolm a boy or girl name?
- Malcolm is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Malcolm?
- Malcolm ranked #272 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.