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Name at a glance

Mark

Mark is a Latin-rooted name often connected with Mars, though Christian use is shaped by the Gospel of Mark.

Ranked #245 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #6 in 1959, declining over the past 5 years.

Mark is associated with John Mark in the New Testament and with the Gospel that bears his name, giving the name a strong place in Christian memory.

Browse names
OriginLatin
GenderBoy
FeelGospel
PronunciationMARK

Is Mark biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Mark is a named person in Scripture, John Mark in Acts (Acts 12:12), and the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark.

Is Mark a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Mark is established across Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Coptic traditions as Saint Mark the Evangelist, traditional founder of the Church of Alexandria.

Plain answer

Mark is a New Testament name for John Mark and the second evangelist, established across Christian traditions as Saint Mark.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Mark

Mark comes from Latin Marcus, traditionally connected with Mars. For Christian naming, the more important association is John Mark, a figure in Acts and later Gospel tradition.

New Testament

John Mark and early mission

John Mark appears in Acts in connection with early Christian households and missionary work. His story includes a difficult separation from Paul and Barnabas, followed by later usefulness.

That gives Mark a quiet restoration theme. The name is not only attached to a Gospel; it also belongs to the human world of early Christian work, conflict, and renewed trust.

Gospel tradition

The Gospel of Mark

Christian tradition associates Mark with the second Gospel, a fast-moving account of Jesus' ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection.

As a name, Mark therefore feels concise but weighty. It is short, familiar, and deeply embedded in Christian Scripture.

Sound

How to pronounce Mark

Phonetic
MARK
IPA
/mɑɹk/

1 syllable · stress: MARK · ends in a consonant

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Marcus
  • Marco
  • Marc
  • Markus
  • Marek
  • Marko

Short forms and nicknames

  • Marky

Languages

Mark in other languages

Greek
ΜᾶρκοςMarkos
Latin
Marcus
Spanish
Marcos
French
Marc
German
Markus
Italian
Marco
Russian
МаркMark
Polish
Marek

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Mark has Christian importance through John Mark, early mission, and the Gospel of Mark. It is one of the clearest short names connected to New Testament witness.

Scripture

The biblical figure

John Mark appears in Acts and is connected with early Christian mission and the household where believers gathered in Jerusalem.

Bearers

Notable people named Mark

  • biblical

    Mark the EvangelistTraditional author of the Gospel of Mark, identified with John Mark in Acts and a companion of Peter in early Christian tradition

  • historical

    Mark TwainAmerican writer Samuel Clemens, author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, 1835 to 1910

  • historical

    Mark RothkoLatvian-born American abstract expressionist painter, 1903 to 1970

  • modern

    Mark KnopflerScottish musician and frontman of Dire Straits, born 1949

  • modern

    Mark HamillAmerican actor known for Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films, born 1951

  • modern

    Mark RuffaloAmerican actor known for the Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, born 1967

  • modern

    Mark ZuckerbergAmerican technology executive, co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, born 1984

Saint

Saint Mark the Evangelist

Traditions
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Coptic
Patron of
Venice, Egypt, notaries, lawyers, lions

Tradition identifies Mark as the founder and first bishop of the Church of Alexandria, making him the patron of Egypt and the Coptic Church. His relics were translated from Alexandria to Venice in 828, where the basilica of San Marco remains the city's principal shrine. The lion symbol comes from Mark's gospel opening with John the Baptist as a voice crying in the wilderness.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Mark has been widely used in English-speaking Christian contexts, while Marcus, Marco, and Markus connect it to broader European forms.

Recent US use

Mark in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#245
Peak rank
#6 in 1959
Recent trend
declining over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

Pairings

Names paired with Mark

  • Lukefellow evangelist

    Mark and Luke are the two non-apostolic Gospel writers; tradition links Mark to Peter and Luke to Paul.

For families

For families looking at Mark

For a Christian family, Mark offers a brief, sturdy New Testament name. It works especially well for parents who like Gospel names that are familiar rather than elaborate.

Common questions

What does Mark mean?

Mark comes from Latin Marcus, often connected with Mars, but Christian use is shaped by John Mark and the Gospel of Mark.

Is Mark a biblical name?

Yes. John Mark appears in Acts, and the Gospel of Mark bears the name.

Is Marcus related to Mark?

Yes. Marcus is the Latin form behind Mark.

Sources

Sources for Mark

  • The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, E. G. Withycombe (3rd edition)Supports: Latin etymology from Marcus; traditionally connected with Mars.
  • The Acts of the Apostles, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical figure John Mark; early Christian mission (Acts 12:12).
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Mark the Evangelist; traditional founder of the Church of Alexandria; feast day (April 25).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

LukeBoth are Gospel writers; Mark's brevity and Luke's historical detail provide the two distinct Synoptic approaches alongside Matthew.MatthewBoth are Gospel writers; the Synoptic three (Matthew, Mark, Luke) share narrative material that John's Gospel does not.PaulMark abandoned Paul on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:13), causing the Paul-Barnabas split in Acts 15; the two later reconciled (2 Timothy 4:11).BarnabasMark's cousin (Colossians 4:10); Barnabas chose Mark over the continued partnership with Paul, taking Mark to Cyprus while Paul took Silas.