Given name & surname
Cormac
“a charioteer”
In English use, Cormac is a variant of Cormick. One Irish interpretation is “a charioteer.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Cormac is a variant of Cormick. One Irish interpretation is “a charioteer.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Cormac is a variant of Cormick. An origin associated with Cormick is Irish.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Irish Gaelic use, one proposed formation combines corb (“defilement”) and mac (“son”).
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1956. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Cormac through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,698
- 3,698 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2014
- 196 babies
- 2025
- 150
- #1,298 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −1%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 150 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,298 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 0.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 196 in 2014. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (14). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,876 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cormac’s family of names
In English usage, Cormac as a surname has an affectionate form in CORMICAN. Cormac shares a linguistic root with Cormag. In Old Irish usage, Cormac has a related form in Corbmac.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Cormac has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
6 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Cormac
- Cormac McCarthyAmerican novelist, playwright, and screenwriter (1933–2023)
- Cormac Murphy-O'ConnorCatholic cardinal (1932-2017)
- Cormac mac CuilennáinIrish bishop and king of Munster801–908
- Cormac RyanAmerican basketball player (born 1998)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Cormac, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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