Malcolm

/ˈmæl.kəm/

//ˈmæl.kəm// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"malcolm" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Malcolm” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #7,027. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#7,027
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A male given name from Scottish Gaelic or Goidelic, variant of Calum or Callum, feminine equivalent Malcolmina, equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim.

Corpus desk

Index EN-malcolm · Malcolm · English

Malcolm · rank #7,027 · 11 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #7,027
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH loser

Nearest frequency peer: loser (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “Malcolm”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “Malcolm” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for Malcolm
PropertyValue
HeadwordMalcolm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈmæl.kəm/
Letters7
Frequency rank#7,027
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Malcolm” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Malcolm lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around Malcolm (IPA /ˈmæl.kəm/), aproper noun. Corpus frequency is #7,027 among 4,057 “M” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for Malcolm, with forms such as "amlcolm", "maclolm", and "malccolm". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Royal name in Scotland, anglicised from various historical Goidelic names equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim or Calum, Irish Maol Colm, Middle Irish Máel Coluim, Old Irish Máel Columb (literally “devotee of [Saint] Columba”); proper nouns derived fr… The correct English form is Malcolm, spelled M-A-L-C-O-L-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A male given name from Scottish Gaelic or Goidelic, variant of Calum or Callum, feminine equivalent Malcolmina, equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim.
  2. 2
    A surname.
  3. 3
    A place name:
  4. 4
    A place name:
  5. 5
    A place name:
  6. 6
    A place name:

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how Malcolm appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. We will establish our estate upon / Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter / The Prince of Cumberland.

Etymology

Royal name in Scotland, anglicised from various historical Goidelic names equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim or Calum, Irish Maol Colm, Middle Irish Máel Coluim, Old Irish Máel Columb (literally “devotee of [Saint] Columba”); proper nouns derived from máel (“tonsured”) from Proto-Celtic *mailos, and columb (“dove”) from Latin columbus.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • amlcolm
  • maclolm
  • malccolm
  • malclom
  • malcollm
  • malcolmm
  • malcoml
  • mallcolm
  • maloclm
  • mlacolm
  • mmalcolm

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Malcolm - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

amlcolm2maclolm2malccolm1malclom2malcollm1malcolmm1malcoml2mallcolm1
Edit distance from "Malcolm"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Malcolm"?
"Malcolm" is spelled M-A-L-C-O-L-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæl.kəm/.
What does "Malcolm" mean?
As a proper noun, "Malcolm" means: A male given name from Scottish Gaelic or Goidelic, variant of Calum or Callum, feminine equivalent Malcolmina, equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim.
What are common misspellings of "Malcolm"?
Common misspellings include "amlcolm", "maclolm", "malccolm", "malclom", "malcollm". The correct spelling is "Malcolm".
How do you pronounce "Malcolm"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Malcolm" is /ˈmæl.kəm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Malcolm"?
Royal name in Scotland, anglicised from various historical Goidelic names equivalent to Scottish Gaelic Maol Chaluim or Calum, Irish Maol Colm, Middle Irish Máel Coluim, Old Irish Máel Columb (literally “devotee of [Saint] Columba”); proper nouns ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "Malcolm", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

massage#7,028Leonard#7,024Lebanon#7,021notably#7,035

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

musician11 variantsformally11 variantsdelicate11 variantsCaroline11 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "Malcolm". Here's where to go from here.

  • 11 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #7,027 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "M" letter cohort. M–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list