Mark (given name) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark
Statue of Marte (Mars), 1st century, in the Forum of Nerva (Capitoline Museums, Rome)
Gender	Male
Origin
Word/Name	Latin
Meaning	"Of Mars, warlike, warrior" or "famous counsel"
Other names
Related names	Marc, Marco, Marcos, Marcus, Marek, Marko, Martin

Mark is a popular boy's name. It comes from the ancient Latin word Mars. This means "belonging to the god Mars". Mars was the Roman god of war. So, the name Mark can mean "God of war" or "a person who is warlike".

The name Marcus was very common in ancient Rome. It was one of the three most popular Roman first names. Mark can also be a shorter form of the name Martin. Martin also has Latin roots and means "warlike". It might also come from old German words meaning "famous" and "counsel".

What the Name Mark Means and Its History

The name Mark is a version of the older name Marcus. A very famous person named Mark was Mark the Evangelist. He is believed to have written the second book of the New Testament in the Bible. This book tells about the life of Jesus. Mark the Evangelist is also the special protector, or patron saint, of the city of Venice in Italy. People believe he is buried there.

Even though the name Mark was used a long time ago, it didn't become very common in English-speaking countries until the 1800s. Around that time, it started to be used more often, alongside the older form, Marcus.

In old Celtic stories, like the legend of Tristan and Isolde, there was a King of Cornwall named Mark. Another famous person with this name was the American writer Mark Twain. His real name was Samuel Clemens. He lived from 1835 to 1910. Mark Twain wrote famous books like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. He chose his pen name from a signal used by riverboat workers. "Mark Twain" meant the water was two fathoms deep, which was safe for boats.

The name Mark is also the usual English spelling for Mark Antony. He was an important Roman general and politician in the 1st century BC.

Mark in Other Languages

The name Mark is used all over the world. It sounds a bit different in other languages. Here are some examples:

Famous People Named Mark

Many people named Mark have become famous in different fields.

In Science and Technology

• Mark Adler (born 1959) is an American software engineer. He helped create important computer programs.
• Mark Dean (computer scientist) (born 1957) is an American inventor. He worked on computer engineering.
• Mark Z. Jacobson (born 1965) is an American engineer. He studies civil and environmental topics.
• Mark Oliphant (1901–2000) was an Australian physicist. He also worked to help people.
• Mark Overmars (born 1958) is a Dutch computer scientist. He created the popular game development tool Game Maker.
• Mark Weiser (1952–1999) was a chief scientist at Xerox PARC. He was known for his ideas about "ubiquitous computing."

In Acting and Entertainment

• Mark Hamill is an American actor. He is famous for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies.
• Mark Harmon is an American actor and producer. He is well-known for his role in the TV show NCIS.
• Mark Ruffalo is an American actor. He is known for playing the Hulk in the Marvel superhero movies.
• Mark Wahlberg (born 1971) is an actor and producer. He was also a musician known as Marky Mark.
• Vin Diesel (born Mark Sinclair) is an American actor. He is known for action movies like the Fast & Furious series.
• Mark Gatiss is an English actor and writer. He has worked on shows like Sherlock and Doctor Who.

In Arts and Music

• Mark Kermode is a British film critic. He is known for his reviews of movies.
• Mark Rothko was an American painter. He was famous for his large, colorful abstract paintings.
• Mark Tremonti is an American musician. He is a guitarist and singer in rock bands like Alter Bridge and Creed.
• Mark Knopfler is a British musician. He was a member of the famous rock band Dire Straits.
• Mark Ronson is a British-American music producer and DJ. He has worked with many famous artists.
• Mark Hoppus is a singer and bassist. He is a member of the rock band blink-182.

In Business

• Mark Cuban is an American entrepreneur and investor. He owns the Dallas Mavericks basketball team.
• Mark Shuttleworth is a South African entrepreneur. He founded the Ubuntu Linux project.
• Mark Zuckerberg is the founder and CEO of Facebook. He created the social media platform.

In Politics

• Mark Antony was a powerful Roman politician and general. He lived in the 1st century BC.
• Mark Dayton is a former governor and U.S. senator from Minnesota.
• Mark Kelly is an American politician and former astronaut. He is currently a U.S. senator from Arizona.
• Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician. He has served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• Mark Warner is a former governor and current U.S. senator from Virginia.

In Sports

• Mark Allen (snooker player) is a Northern Irish snooker player. He is a world champion.
• Mark Cavendish is a professional racing cyclist from the Isle of Man. He is known for his sprint finishes.
• Mark Henry is an American weightlifter and professional wrestler. He is a former Olympic weightlifter.
• Mark Hughes is a Welsh football manager and former player. He played for many top clubs.
• Mark Messier is a Canadian retired ice hockey player. He is considered one of the greatest players ever.
• Mark Spitz (born 1950) is an American swimmer. He won nine Olympic gold medals in swimming.
• Mark Teixeira is a former professional baseball player. He played for teams like the New York Yankees.
• Mark Webber (born 1976) is an Australian Formula 1 driver.
• Mark Williams (snooker player) is a Welsh professional snooker player. He has won multiple world titles.
• Mark Calaway is an American professional wrestler. He is better known by his stage name "The Undertaker".

See also

• Martin (name)