Mecca

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Mecca Pronunciation

Mecca is 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

In 30 seconds: The name of Islam's holiest city, carried as a girl's name — a destination, a direction of prayer, and in English a word for any place the heart is drawn to.

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Origin HighArabic

MeaningFrom Makkah, the holiest city of Islam, birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad; in English also a word for any place that draws devotees

U.S. rank (2024)#3352 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births47 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1995

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,263

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

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.

Did you know? Five times a day, more than a billion Muslims turn toward Mecca to pray — no other city on Earth orients so many people at once.

Overall data confidence 85%

Encyclopaedia Britannica — Mecca — city background

Variations

MakkahMekkaMeccah

Nicknames

Mec

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Mecca…

Medina— the sister holy city also used as a girl's name

Aisha— a beloved name from the Prophet's household

Khadija— another name honoring early Islamic history

Malak— lands in the same popularity range

Marwa— lands in the same popularity range

→ See all names like Mecca

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Frequently Asked

How do you pronounce Mecca?

Mecca is pronounced MEK-ə (/ˈmɛk.ə/). Press play above to hear Mecca said aloud.

How do you say Mecca?

Mecca is said MEK-ə (/ˈmɛk.ə/). Press play above to hear Mecca said aloud.

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.

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.