MABEL:  Variant of Amabel, "my lovely."  Diminutives include Mab and Mabs.

MABS:  see Mabel.

MADDY:  Diminutive of Madeleine, "maid," or Madonna, "my lady."

MADELEINE:  French form of Magdalene, "maid."  Variant, Madeline, exists.  Diminutive is Maddy.

MADELINE:  English form of Madeleine, "maid."  Diminutive, Maddy, exists.

MADGE:  Diminutive of Margaret, "pearl."

MADONNA:  Italian title of Virgin Mary, "my lady."  Diminutives include Donna and Maddy.

MAE:  Variant of May, "the month."

MAEV:  see Maeve.

MAEVE:  Irish/Gaelic name probably meaning "fragile."  Variant, Maev, exists.

MAG:  see Maggie.

MAGDA:  see Magdalene.

MAGDALA:  see Magdalene.

MAGDALEN:  see Magdalene.

MAGDALENE:  Biblical name of Mary of Magdala.  A variant of Madaline, "maid."  Some other variants and diminutives include Magdalen, Magdala and Magda.

MAGGIE:  Diminutive of Margaret, "pearl."  Other diminutives include Mag and Mags.

MAGS:  see Maggie.

MAHALIA:  Biblical name meaning "tender affection."

MAI:  see May.

MAIDIE:  Variant of Old English name meaning "maiden."  Variant, Maidy, exists.

MAIDY:  see Maidie.

MAISIE:  Diminutive of Margaret, "pearl." 

MALANDRA:  Probably a blend of Melanie, "dark-skinned," and Alexandra, "defender of mankind."

MALINDA:  see Melinda.

MALLY:  see Malvolia.

MALVINA:  Gaelic name meaning "smooth brow."  Variant, Melvina, exists.

MALVOLIA:  Ill-will.  Diminutive, Mally, exists.

MAME:  see Mamie.

MAMIE:  Diminutive of Margaret, "pearl," or Mary, "bitter."  Variant, Mame, exists.

MANDI:  see Mandy.

MANDY:  Diminutive of Amanda, "worthy of love."  Variant, Mandi, exists.

MANON:  see Marie.

MARA:  A variant of Mary, "bitter."

MARCIA:  Feminine form of Mark, "warlike."  Variant, Marsha, exists.

MARGARET:  Latin name meaning "pearl."  Variants and diminutives include Madge, Maggie, May, Meg, Peggy, Marge, Margie, Marjory, Megan, Margarete, Margarita, Rita, Margo, Margot and Marguerite.

MARGARETE:  see Margaret.

MARGARITA:  see Margaret.

MARGAUX:  see Margot.

MARGE:  see Margaret and Marjorie.

MARGERY:  see Marjorie.

MARGIE:  see Margaret and Marguerite.

MARGO:  Variant of Margot, "pearl."

MARGOT:  French diminutive form of Marguerite, "pearl."  Variants include Margo and Margaux.

MARGUERITE:  French variant of Margaret, "pearl."  Diminutives include Margot, Margie and Margy.

Margy:  see Marguerite.

MARI:  see Marie.

MARIA:  Spanish and Italian form of Mary, "bitter."  Diminutive, Marietta, exists.

MARIAN:  English form of French Marion, "bitter."  Variants include Mariana and Marianne.

MARIANA:  Latinized form of Marian, "bitter."  Variant, Marianna, exists.

MARIANNA:  Latinized form of Marian or Marianne, "bitter."  Variant, Mariana, exists.

MARIANNE:  Variant of Marian, "bitter."  Variants are Mariana and Marianna.

MARIE:  French form of Mary, "bitter."  Variant, Mari, exists, as well as French diminutive, Manon.

MARIEL:  Dutch variant of Mary, "bitter."  Variants include Meriel, Muriel, and Marielle.

MARIELLE:  see Mariel.

MARIETTA:  Italian diminutive of Maria, "bitter."  French variant, Mariette, exists.

MARIETTE:  see Marietta.

MARIGOLD:  From the flower.  Diminutive, Goldie, exists.

MARILLA:  Flower

MARILYN:  Blend of Mary, "bitter," and Lynn, "pretty."

MARINA:  Feminine form of Roman clan name meaning "of the sea."

MARION:  French diminutive form of Marie, "bitter."

MARJE:  see Marjorie.

MARJORIE:  Form of Margaret, "pearl."  Variants and diminutives include Marjory, Margery, Marge and Marje.

MARJORY:  see Marjorie.

MARLA:  see Marlene.

MARLENE: from the tower.

MARSHA:  see Marcia.

MARTHA:  Biblical name meaning "lady."  Some diminutives are Marti, Martie, Mattie, and Marty.

MARTI:  see Martha and Martina.

MARTIE:  see Martha.

MARTINA:  Feminine form of Martin, "warlike."  Variant, Martine, exists.  Diminutives include Marti and Marty.

MARTINE:  see Martina.

MARTY:  see Martha and Martina.

MARY BETH:  see Beth.

MARY JANE:  see Jane.

MARY:  Hebrew name meaning "bitter."  Variants and diminutives include Mamie, May, Molly, and Polly.

MATILDA:  Old German name meaning "mighty in battle."  Name of Merlin's mother in Arthurian legend. Some diminutives are Mattie, Tilda, and Tilly.

MATTIE:  Diminutive of Matilda, "mighty in battle."  Variant, Matty, exists.

MATTY:  see Mattie.

MAUD:  French form of Matilda, "mighty in battle."  Diminutive, Maudie, exists.

MAUDIE:  see Maud.

MAUREEN:  Irish variant of Mary, "bitter."  Variants include Maurene, Maurine, and Moreen.  

MAURENE:  see Maureen.

MAURINE:  see Maureen.

MAVE:  see Mavis.

MAVIS:  From poetic word for song thrush.  Diminutive, Mave, exists.

MAXENE:  see Maxine.

MAXIE:  see Maxine.

MAXINE:  Feminine form of Max, "greatest."  Variant, Maxene, exists.  Diminutive is Maxie.

MAY:  Originally diminutive form of Margaret, "pearl," or Mary, "bitter."  Now often regarded as a flower or month name.  Variants include Mae and Mai.

MAYA:  A form of May.

MEG:  Diminutive form of Margaret, "pearl."  Diminutives, Meggie and Megs, exist.

MEGAN:  Welsh form of Meg, "pearl."

MEGGIE:  see Meg.

MEGS:  see Meg.

MEL:  see Melanie.

MELANIE:  French form of Latin name meaning "dark-skinned."  Diminutive, Mel, exists.

MELBA:  Aramaic name "father's delight."

MELINA:  Greek name meaning "honey."

MELINDA:  Latin name meaning "honey."  Variant is Malinda.

MELISSA:  Greek name meaning "bee."  Diminutive, Missie, exists.

MELODY:  Greek name meaning "song."

MERCEDES:  Spanish name meaning "mercy."  Diminutives include Mercy and Sadie.

MERCY:  Middle English name meaning "mercy."  Diminutive, Merry, exists.

MEREDITH:  Adoption of male name Meredith, "great chief."

MERIEL:  A variant of Muriel, "sea-bright."

MERLE:  French name meaning "blackbird."

MERRY:  Either diminutive of Mercy, or from standard word.

MERYL:  Variant of Muriel, "sea-bright."

MIA:  Italian name meaning "mine."  Also Scandinavian diminutive of Maria, "bitter."

MICHAELA:  Feminine form of Michael, "who is like the Lord?"

MICHÈLE:  French feminine form of Michael, "who is like the Lord?"  Variant, Michelle, exists.  

MICHELLE:  Variant spelling of Michèle, "who is like the Lord?"

MIDGE:  Probably alteration of Madge, "pearl."

MIGNON:  From French word meaning, "cute" or "darling."  Diminutive, Mignonette, exists.

MIGNONETTE:  see Mignon.

MILDRED:  Old English name meaning "gentle strength."  Diminutives include Millie and Milly.

MILLICENT:  Old German name meaning "highborn power" or "hard worker."  Diminutives include Millie and Milly.

MILLIE:  Diminutive of Camilla, "attendant at a sacrifice," Millicent, "highborn power" or "hard wordker," and Mildred, "gentle strength."  Variant, Milly, exists.

MILLY:  see Millie.

MIMA:  see Jemima.

MINA:  Diminutive of names such as Wilhelmina.  Variant, Minna, exists.

MINERVA:  Name of Roman goddess of wisdom.  Diminutive, Minnie, exists.

MINNA:  Diminutive of names such as Wilhelmina.  Variant, Mina, exists.

MINNIE:  Diminutive of Wilhelmina, "strong helmet."

MINTA:  see Araminta.

MIRA:  see Myra.

MIRABEL:  Latin name meaning "wonderful" or "beautiful."

MIRANDA:  Latin name meaning "admirable."  A Shakespeare creation.  Diminutives include Mandy and Randy.  A new alteration, Admiranda, gives special emphasis to the meaning.

MIRIAM:  Biblical name meaning "bitter."

MISSIE:  see Melissa.

MISTY:  From standard word, evoking hazy island, autumn morning, and other similar images. 

MITZI:  German variant of Mary, "bitter."

MODESTY:  Latin name meaning "modesty."

MOIRA:  Irish variant of Mary, "bitter."  Variant, Moyra, exists.

MOLL:  see Molly.

MOLLIE:  see Molly.

MOLLY:  Diminutive of Mary, "bitter."  Variant, Mollie, exists.  Diminutive is Moll.

MONA:  Irish/Gaelic name meaning "aristocratic."

MONICA:  Probably Latin name meaning "advisor."  Diminutive, Monny, exists.

MONNY:  see Monica.

MORAG:  Scottish name meaning "great."

MOREEN:  see Maureen.

MORGAN:  Welsh name meaning "great; bright."  Variant, Morgana, exists.

MORGANA:  see Morgan.

MOYRA:  see Moira.

MURIEL:  Irish/Gaelic name meaning "sea-bright."  Variants include Meriel, Mariel and Meriel.

MYF:  see Myfanwy.

MYFANWY:  Welsh name meaning "dear fine one."  Diminutive, Myf, exists.

MYRA:  Latin name meaning "scented oil."  Variant, Mira, exists.

MYRNA:  Irish/Gaelic name meaning "tenderness" or "affection."

MYRTLE:  From the plant.