Martin: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration

Girl name origins & meanings

Latin : Warlike; who loves everyone; warring

Girl name variations

Boy name origins & meanings

English : Warrior of Mars, warlike, warring

What does Martin mean and stand for?

The name Martin is of Latin origin and means "warlike." It is from the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from the Roman Martis, or god Mars. The Patron Saint of France, Saint Martin, is one of the earliest notable namesakes.

Syllables: 2

Boy name variations

Family name origins & meanings

English, Scottish, Irish, French, Dutch, German, Czech, Slovak, Spanish (Martín), Italian (Venice), etc. : from a personal name (Latin Martinus, a derivative of Mars, genitive Martis, the Roman god of fertility and war, whose name may derive ultimately from a root mar ‘gleam’). This was borne by a famous 4th-century saint, Martin of Tours, and consequently became extremely popular throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. As a North American surname, this form has absorbed many cognates from other European forms.
English : habitational name from any of several places so called, principally in Hampshire, Lincolnshire, and Worcestershire, named in Old English as ‘settlement by a lake’ (from mere or mær ‘pool’, ‘lake’ + tūn ‘settlement’) or as ‘settlement by a boundary’ (from (ge)mære ‘boundary’ + tūn ‘settlement’). The place name has been charged from Marton under the influence of the personal name Martin.

Famous people with this first name

Famous people with this last name

Chris Martin

Kellie Martin

What Does the Name Martin Mean?

Martin has been a popular name for quite some time, meaning "warlike" in Latin. Martin has not only been popular worldwide, but it has been forever engraved in various works of literature.

How Popular is the Name Martin?

Martin is the number 302 most popular boys name in the US, according to 2021 Social Security Administration data. Once one of the most popular names in the world, Martin has slowly been decreasing in popularity, dropping a few ranks each year.

However, it is the 30th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.

Popularity of the Name Martin in the United States

According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Martin was at its peak popularity in January 2020.

Martin was searched for most often in the following states:

Alabama
Tennessee
Louisianna
District of Columbia
Florida

Famous People Named Martin and Martin in Pop Culture

Due to the age of the name, Martin has almost too many pop culture appearances and namesakes to count. Most notably in history is Martin Luther, 8th President Martin Van Buren, and Martin Luther King Jr. Other namesakes include actor Martin Sheen, actor Martin Short, writer Martin Amis, director Martin Scorsese, actor Martin Freeman, comedian Martin Lawrence, and Martin Starr. Aside from notable namesakes, Martin has been very apparent in literature, appearing in the novels Martin Chuzzlewit and the Redwall series. Not to mention, Martin has made hundreds of appearances in movies and television, with the following who stand out: NCIS: Los Angelos, Martin Mystery, Fraiser, Back to the Future, and The Simpsons.