Malcolm

The word “Malcolm” means a male first name of Scottish Gaelic origin.

“Malcolm” is pronounced MAL-kuhm (/ˈmæl.kəm/ in IPA).

Here is “Malcolm” used in a sentence: “Several medieval kings of Scotland were named Malcolm.”

“Malcolm” is a name.

“Malcolm” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Malcolm” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a male first name of Scottish Gaelic origin.

Yes. Malcolm is a male first name of Scottish Gaelic origin and has a long history in Scotland, where it was borne by several medieval Scottish kings. It remains most strongly associated with Scotland, though it is used across the English-speaking world.

Malcolm is primarily a male given name, but it also exists as a surname derived from the same given name. As a surname it originally indicated descent from an ancestor called Malcolm. Today the first-name use is far more common.

The usual short forms are Mal and, especially in Britain, Malc. Malcolm has no standard feminine form, so these nicknames are the main variants you will encounter.

The standard spelling is M-a-l-c-o-l-m. The second l is barely heard in speech, which is why Malcom is such a frequent misspelling. Keep the -colm ending in writing even though the name ends in a simple "kum" sound when spoken.