Mecca
Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is a city in the Hejazi region of western Saudi Arabia and is the capital of Mecca Province. Mecca is considered the birthplace of Islam and the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as being the holiest city in Islam.
Meaning & Origin of Mecca
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is a city in the Hejazi region of western Saudi Arabia and is the capital of Mecca Province. Mecca is considered the birthplace of Islam and the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as being the holiest city in Islam.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
Origin & history
The Story of Mecca
As a girl name
Mecca first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1952, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1995, when 89 Meccas were born — ranking #1,651 that year. As of 2026, Mecca ranks #3,352 for girls with 47 births, gradually rising (+10%). In total, more than 2K Meccas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Mecca first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1975, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 109 Meccas were born — ranking #1,586 that year. As of 2026, Mecca ranks #1,586 for boys with 109 births, rising sharply (+94% over the past five years). In total, more than 972 Meccas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Mecca
Phonetically similar names — useful when Mecca is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mecca
What does the name Mecca mean?
How popular is Mecca in 2026?
When was Mecca most popular?
In which U.S. states is Mecca most popular?
Is Mecca a unisex name?
What names go well with Mecca?
About the name Mecca
Mecca is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1952 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Mecca's peak popularity came in 1995 when it ranked #1,651. Use the chart and map above to compare Mecca's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1995 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.