Malcum
A Scottish form of the name Malcolm derived from Gaelic meaning "disciple".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Malcum. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Malcum today is around 81 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Malcum births was 1928 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Malcum. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Malcum is about 81 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Malcums were born before 1955.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Malcum. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1928
7 babies that year
Average age
81
years old
1952 SSA rank
#3,598
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Malcum: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Malcum from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 17 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1930s peak, Malcum remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Malcum by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Malcum during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Malcum
The name Malcum is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Malacolm, which means "disciple of St. Columba." The name was popular in medieval Scotland and can be traced back to the 11th century.
Malcum is closely related to the name Malcolm, which is a more common spelling. The name first appeared in written records in the 11th century, when it was borne by King Malcolm III of Scotland, also known as Malcolm Canmore, who ruled from 1058 to 1093.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the name Malcum was Malcum, Earl of Fife, who lived in the early 13th century. He was a prominent Scottish nobleman and played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence against England.
Another notable bearer of the name was Malcum Fleming, a Scottish knight who fought alongside William Wallace in the late 13th century. He was one of Wallace's most trusted companions and played a crucial role in the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.
In the 15th century, Malcum of Montrose was a Scottish bishop and statesman who served as Chancellor of Scotland from 1457 to 1470. He was an influential figure in Scottish politics during the reign of King James II.
A more recent historical figure with the name Malcum was Malcum Drummond, a Scottish soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Born in 1726, he served as a lieutenant in the British Army and later joined the Continental Army, where he fought alongside George Washington.
While not as common as its counterpart Malcolm, the name Malcum has been borne by notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its Scottish heritage and connection to the Gaelic language. Its association with prominent figures in Scottish history and the Wars of Scottish Independence has contributed to its enduring legacy.
People
Malcum + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Malcum as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Malcum: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Malcum?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Malcum going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Malcum a common name?
We classify Malcum as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 47 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Malcum most popular?
The single biggest year for Malcum was 1928, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Malcum is about 81 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Malcum a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Malcum in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.