Here is a list of Chinese names that start with M. The page includes both family names and given names for boys and girls, along with their translations.

The list is divided into multiple sections. All the names are drawn from the Chinese Name Database (1930–2008), which contains data on over one billion people, nearly everyone born in China during that period. I analyzed the data in several ways:

  • I removed the most uncommon (less than 1 in 100,000) names from the list.
  • I categorized the given names by gender. Male or names are those given to boys or girls more than 75% of the time, while androgynous names appear have a more even distribution.
  • Traditional names were more common in the late 1900s, while modern names are more common with people born in the 2000s.
  • I also added translations to all the names.

How to Use the List

This list includes the individual characters that appear in Chinese names. In China, the family name comes first (for example, Xi Jinping, 习近平), followed by the given name. While 95% of family names consist of a single character (Xi, 习), given names more often consist of two characters (Jinping, 近平). However, single-character given names are also common.

If you’re using these lists to create a fictional character, you can either use a single-character given name or combine two characters that work together.

You can use the buttons below to jump into different sections:

Traditional Chinese Boy Names That Begin with M

  • Mào, 懋: to be hardworking; luxuriant; splendid
  • Mào, 茂: luxuriant; (chemistry) cyclopentadiene
  • Měng, 猛: ferocious; fierce; violent
  • Mín, 民: the people; nationality; citizen
  • Míng, 名: name; noun (part of speech); place (e.g. among winners)
  • Míng, 明: Ming Dynasty (1368-1644); Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God; bright
  • Mó, 模: to imitate; model; norm
  • Móu, 谋: to plan; to seek; scheme

Trendy Chinese Boy Names Starting with M (2000s)

  • Mào, 懋: to be hardworking; luxuriant; splendid
  • Mào, 茂: luxuriant; (chemistry) cyclopentadiene
  • Mín, 民: the people; nationality; citizen
  • Míng, 名: name; noun (part of speech); place (e.g. among winners)
  • Míng, 明: Ming Dynasty (1368-1644); Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God; bright
  • Míng, 铭: to engrave; inscribed motto
  • Mó, 模: to imitate; model; norm
  • Móu, 谋: to plan; to seek; scheme

Chinese Female Given Names Popular in the Past, Starting with M

  • Mài, 麦: wheat; barley; oats
  • Màn, 慢: slow
  • Màn, 曼: handsome; large; long
  • Màn, 漫: free; unrestrained; to inundate
  • Me, 么: youngest; most junior; tiny
  • Mèi, 妹: younger sister
  • Mèi, 媚: flatter; charm
  • Méi, 枚: classifier for coins, rings, badges, pearls, sporting medals, rockets, satellites etc; tree trunk; whip
  • Méi, 梅: plum; plum flower; Japanese apricot (Prunus mume)
  • Méi, 玫: (fine jade)
  • Méi, 眉: eyebrow; upper margin
  • Měi, 美: the Americas; USA; beautiful
  • Méng, 朦: indistinct; unclear; to deceive
  • Méng, 萌: to sprout; to bud; to have a strong affection for (slang)
  • Mī, 咪: sound for calling a cat
  • Mì, 密: name of an ancient state; secret; confidential
  • Mǐ, 米: rice; meter (classifier)
  • Mì, 蜜: honey
  • Mí, 迷: to bewilder; crazy about; fan
  • Mián, 棉: generic term for cotton or kapok; cotton; padded or quilted with cotton
  • Miào, 妙: clever; wonderful
  • Miáo, 苗: Hmong or Miao ethnic group of southwest China; sprout
  • Mǐn, 敏: quick; nimble; agile
  • Mò, 茉: jasmine
  • Mǔ, 姆: woman who looks after small children; (old) female tutor

Chinese Girl Names Starting with M Popular Now

  • Mài, 麦: wheat; barley; oats
  • Màn, 曼: handsome; large; long
  • Màn, 漫: free; unrestrained; to inundate
  • Màn, 蔓: creeper; to spread
  • Mèi, 媚: flatter; charm
  • Méi, 玫: (fine jade)
  • Měi, 美: the Americas; USA; beautiful
  • Méng, 朦: indistinct; unclear; to deceive
  • Mèng, 梦: dream
  • Méng, 萌: to sprout; to bud; to have a strong affection for (slang)
  • Mǐ, 米: rice; meter (classifier)
  • Mì, 蜜: honey
  • Mián, 棉: generic term for cotton or kapok; cotton; padded or quilted with cotton
  • Miào, 妙: clever; wonderful
  • Miáo, 苗: Hmong or Miao ethnic group of southwest China; sprout
  • Mǐn, 敏: quick; nimble; agile
  • Mò, 茉: jasmine
  • Mǔ, 姆: woman who looks after small children; (old) female tutor

Chinese Male/Female Names Popular in the 1900s (Letter M)

  • Mǎ, 玛: agate; cornelian
  • Mǎ, 马: horse; horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess; knight in Western chess
  • Mǎn, 满: Manchu ethnic group; to fill; full
  • Máng, 忙: busy; hurriedly; to hurry
  • Máo, 毛: hair; feather; down
  • Mèng, 孟: first month of a season; eldest amongst brothers
  • Méng, 盟: oath; pledge; union
  • Méng, 蒙: drizzle; mist; blind
  • Mì, 秘: secret; secretary
  • Miǎn, 冕: crown in the form of a horizontal board with hanging decorations; imperial crown
  • Miǎn, 勉: to exhort; to make an effort
  • Mián, 绵: silk floss; continuous; soft
  • Mín, 旻: heaven
  • Mín, 珉: alabaster, jade-like stone
  • Mǐn, 闽: short name for Fujian province 福建[Fu2 jian4]
  • Mò, 沫: foam; suds
  • Mù, 慕: to admire
  • Mù, 木: tree; wood; coffin
  • Mù, 穆: solemn; reverent; calm

Androgynous Chinese Names Starting with M Popular Today

  • Mǎ, 玛: agate; cornelian
  • Mǎ, 马: horse; horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess; knight in Western chess
  • Mài, 迈: to take a step; to stride
  • Mǎn, 满: Manchu ethnic group; to fill; full
  • Máo, 毛: hair; feather; down
  • Mèng, 孟: first month of a season; eldest amongst brothers
  • Méng, 檬: lemon
  • Méng, 盟: oath; pledge; union
  • Méng, 蒙: drizzle; mist; blind
  • Mì, 秘: secret; secretary
  • Miǎn, 冕: crown in the form of a horizontal board with hanging decorations; imperial crown
  • Mián, 绵: silk floss; continuous; soft
  • Miǎo, 淼: a flood; infinity
  • Mín, 旻: heaven
  • Mín, 珉: alabaster, jade-like stone
  • Mǐn, 闽: short name for Fujian province 福建[Fu2 jian4]
  • Míng, 茗: Thea sinensis; young leaves of tea
  • Míng, 鸣: to cry (of birds, animals and insects)
  • Mò, 墨: ink stick; China ink; corporal punishment consisting of tattooing characters on the victim’s forehead
  • Mò, 沫: foam; suds
  • Mò, 莫: do not; there is none who
  • Mò, 默: silent; to write from memory
  • Mù, 慕: to admire
  • Mù, 木: tree; wood; coffin
  • Mù, 沐: to bathe; to cleanse; to receive
  • Mù, 牧: to herd; to breed livestock; to govern (old)
  • Mù, 穆: solemn; reverent; calm

Chinese Last Names Beginning with the Letter M

  • Ma, 么: one on dice; small
  • Má, 麻: pins and needles; tingling
  • Mǎ, 马: horse; horse chess piece
  • Mài, 麦: wheat; barley
  • Mǎi, 买: buy
  • Mǎn, 满: Manchurian; to fill
  • Máo, 茆: surname character; an aquatic plant
  • Máo, 毛: hair; pore
  • Máo, 茅: thatch
  • Mào, 冒: brave; bold
  • Méi, 梅: plum flower
  • Mén, 门: opening; door
  • Mèng, 孟: first month; eldest brother
  • Mèng, 梦: to dream
  • Mēng, 蒙: deceive; cheat
  • Mí, 糜: dissolved; rice-gruel
  • Mì, 密: secret; confidential
  • Mǐ, 米: meter; rice
  • Miáo, 苗: Miao tribe; sprout
  • Miào, 缪: to wind round
  • Mǐn, 闵: feel compassion for
  • Míng, 明: clear; bright
  • Mó, 磨: to sharpen; to delay
  • Mò, 莫: do not; there is none who
  • Móu, 牟: barley; to moo
  • Mù, 慕: admire
  • Mù, 木: tree; wood
  • Mù, 穆: solemn
  • Mǔ, 母: female; mother

About This List

I have made similar lists of Chinese names for all the letters of the alphabet from A to Z. The only letters missing are those that don’t appear as initials in Chinese. 

About Arimo Travels

My website, Arimo Travels, started as a hub for sustainable travel guides. In 2026, I announced that I would stop updating the site. However, I enjoy working on these lists of names from different countries, so I continue to add them quietly.

To some people, spending hours working with Excel spreadsheets and lists might sound incredibly boring. However, I find it very engaging and a great way to unwind after my much more demanding day job as a psychologist.

Besides these lists of Chinese given names and surnames, I have created similar lists for names from many other countries. You can find them all on the Names Around the World page.

When this site still focused on traveling, I wrote one blog post about my past travels in China.