Mordechai

Mordechai - A very unique male name

Mordechai appeared on the charts for the first time in 1950 on position #1355. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Mordechai and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Mordechai? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Mordechai. The baby boy name Mordechai was given to 214 baby boys in 2025, ranking #912 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,852 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Mordechai peaked in popularity 8 years ago in 2018 on position 709.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Mordechai, 1-5?

Mordechai is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Mordechai is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #134 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #139.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Mordechai is where you live.

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Mordechai origin and meaning

Hebrew, of debated Babylonian origin

Uncertain — Mordechai is the hero of the Book of Esther; the name is often linked to the Babylonian god Marduk, but the connection, while plausible, is not proven

Mordechai is Esther's cousin and guardian in the Bible, the Jewish hero of the Purim story, and the name has been in continuous Jewish use ever since. Its form suggests the world of the Babylonian exile — a link to the god Marduk is the standard scholarly guess — but it remains a guess. American use, recorded since 1950, is concentrated in Jewish communities and has been gently falling since 2018.

Origin uncertain

Mordechai is a 9 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Mordechai, pop culture references for the name Mordechai and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Mordechai

We've found the following names that sound similar to Mordechai, sorted by popularity.

Martez / Mordecai / Mordche / Mordcha / Mordchai / Murtaza / Maritza / Martese / Martice / Mardochee /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Mordechai

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Mordechai a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Mordechai?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

MOR-deh-khy · /ˈmɔːrdəkhaɪ/

Around the world

• Mordechai (Hebrew) — Used as-is in Hebrew; also transliterated Mordecai in English Bibles

Spellings and nicknames

• Mordecai — The English Bible spelling — a separate name in the data
• Mordy — The everyday diminutive, rarely registered alone

Nicknames: MordyMotti

Famous bearers

• Mordechai — Esther's cousin and guardian, hero of the biblical Book of Esther and the Purim story (Biblical) Historical

Style

BiblicalInternational

Why parents choose it

For Jewish families it is a name of courage and survival, inseparable from Purim.

Worth knowing

• Outside Jewish communities it is unfamiliar — spelling (Mordechai vs Mordecai) and the final -khai sound need explaining.