Markum
A masculine name of Latin origin meaning "warlike" or "consecrated to Mars".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Markum. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Markum today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Markum births was 1960 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Markum. 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 Markum is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Markums were born before 1966.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Markum. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1960
9 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1960 SSA rank
#3,001
Tracked since 1960
Popularity
Markum: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Markum 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 Markum during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9 | 0 | 9 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Markum
The name Markum has its origins in the ancient Semitic languages of the Middle East. It is derived from the root "markh" which means "bitter" or "sour" in Aramaic and other related tongues. Some scholars trace its earliest usage to the region of modern-day Syria and Lebanon around the 6th century BCE.
In its earliest forms, Markum was likely a descriptive name given to children, perhaps referring to a difficult birth or a sickly infant. Over time, it evolved into a standalone given name used across various cultures in the Levant and Mesopotamia. Similar spellings like Markham, Markahm, and Markhoum can be found in old texts and inscriptions from the era.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Markum lived in the 3rd century CE. He was a Christian martyr from the city of Arethusa in Roman Syria, executed for his faith during the persecution of Diocletian. The Martyrology of Ado mentions Markum's martyrdom on September 23rd.
In the 5th century, a monk named Markum founded a monastery near the city of Nisibis in northern Mesopotamia. This religious community, known as the Monastery of Markum, became an important center of scholarship and theology in the region for several centuries.
During the Islamic Golden Age, a prominent philosopher and scientist named Markum ibn Qusta al-Qurtubi lived in the 9th century CE. He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and optics, and his works were influential in the development of medieval science.
In the 12th century, a Coptic Christian leader named Markum ibn al-Qanbar served as the Patriarch of Alexandria and led the Coptic Orthodox Church during a period of upheaval and persecution under the Ayyubid Dynasty.
Another notable figure was Markum al-Razi, a Persian polymath born in the late 12th century. He was a prolific writer and scholar who made contributions to various fields, including medicine, philosophy, and theology. His works were widely studied and influential in the Islamic world and beyond.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Markum, which has its roots in the ancient Near East and has been used across various cultures and religions over the centuries.
People
Markum + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Markum 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
Markum: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Markum?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Markum 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Markum a common name?
We classify Markum as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Markum most popular?
The single biggest year for Markum was 1960, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Markum is about 70 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Markum in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Markum a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Markum 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.
Is Markum still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Markum in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Markum can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Markum?
See how many people share the name Markum on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.