Given name & surname
Morris
“a dark-skinned man; Moorish”
In English use, Morris is a variant of Maurice. One Latin interpretation is “a dark-skinned man; Moorish.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Latin use, Morris carries the interpretation “a dark-skinned man; Moorish.” In English use, Morris is a variant of Maurice. One Latin interpretation is “a dark-skinned man; Moorish.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Latin.
How it developed
In English use, Morris is used as a variant of Maurice.
The story
Morris was in use during the Middle Ages.
Morris through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 71,483
- 71,000 boys · 483 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 1,690 babies
- 2025
- 92
- #1,762 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 92 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,762 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 9.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,679 in 1918. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (20). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 24,900 as a first name in 2020; 307,446 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Morris’s family of names
In English usage, Morris has a diminutive in Mo. In English usage, Morris has a related form in Maurice. Morris is a form of Maurice.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Morris has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
10 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 25
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Mosesoriginal
- Maurizioequivalent
- Mortonoriginal
- Μωρίςequivalent
- Μαυρίκιοςequivalent
- Meuriceequivalent
- Muirisequivalent
- Mauritsequivalent
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People named Morris
- MorrisBelgian comics artist (1923-2001)
- Morris SwadeshAmerican linguist (1909–1967)
- Morris WestAustralian writer (1916-1999)
- Morris TraversEnglish chemist (1872–1961)
- Morris ChestnutAmerican actorborn 1969
- Morris HalleLatvian-American linguist (1923-2018)
- Morris KirkseyAthletics and rugby competitor (1895–1981)
- Morris ChangTaiwanese businessman and electrical engineer (born 1931)
- Morris LouisAmerican painter (1912–1962)
Characters named Morris: Hydro-Man (Marvel Comics), Morris O'Brian (the television series 24).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Morris, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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