Home › Baby Names Directory › Mecca
Mecca
Pronounced MEK-ə /ˈmɛk.ə/High
Meaning: From Makkah, the holiest city of Islam, birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad; in English also a word for any place that draws devoteesHigh
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Mecca is the English rendering of Makkah, the Arabian city where the Prophet Muhammad was born and toward which Muslims worldwide pray; the Quran also calls it Bakkah. English borrowed the city's name as a common noun for any magnet of devotees — a museum can be 'a mecca for art lovers'. As an American given name it appears mainly in Black and Muslim communities, part of the tradition of honoring sacred geography.
The name registers steadily but rarely in U.S. records since the 1970s. Parents choose it for spiritual gravity; its sound — two crisp syllables ending in -a — fits comfortably beside Becca and Mekkah-adjacent spellings.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- Famous bearers coming soon.
If you like Mecca…
Explore names like Mecca
Frequently Asked
What does the name Mecca mean?
Mecca is the English form of Makkah, the holiest city of Islam; in English the word also means any place that draws people devotedly.
How do you pronounce Mecca?
It's said MEK-ə /ˈmɛk.ə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.
Is Mecca a boy or girl name?
Mecca is used in the U.S. mainly as a girl's name.
How popular is Mecca?
Mecca is a rare name in the U.S., used most in Muslim and Black American families.