See the results of this poll: Callum or Malcolm? Same meaning different names…
Respondents: 36 (This poll is closed)
- Callum: 21 (58%)
- Malcolm: 15 (42%)
I like [name]Malcolm[/name] but I love [name]Calum[/name], it’s my brother’s name and is seriously great. Also, I really only like it spelt with one L, which is actually the proper spelling.
Curious. Nameberry lists [name]Calum[/name] (one l) as a variation of [name]Callum[/name].
Thanks for your response!
Yeah, I have to go with [name]Callum[/name], too. [name]Malcolm[/name] has always seemed a little awkward to me. [name]Callum[/name] is a much easier name to say and the associations are much better. For some reason, I just picture an easy-going, happy [name]Callum[/name] vs. a high-strung bratty [name]Malcolm[/name]. Maybe that’s just me, but I think [name]Cal[/name] is a winner. 
[name]Callum[/name] seems like the much trendier option to me. I’d also say that it’s feeling slightly dated. 5 or 6 years back, a whole bunch of people I know (in [name]Canada[/name]) either picked this for a child or seriously considered using it. Weirdly enough, I know two young sibsets with both a [name]Callum[/name] AND a [name]Liam[/name]. Anyhow, nobody in my circles talks about using it anymore.
hoping for more votes
I voted [name]Malcolm[/name]. I think [name]Callum[/name] is a great name but it feels trendy (I know it is not). I think all the [name]Corbin[/name], [name]Colton[/name], [name]Collin[/name]…ect have really turned me off to a few C names.
I do love Clavin, [name]Conrad[/name] and [name]Cormac[/name] though! But I think [name]Malcolm[/name] is fab! I love the traditional plus quirky (quirky to me is less common but when you hear it on a child you wish you had thought of it).
Good [name]Luck[/name]
[name]Both[/name] are really nice. I like [name]Malcolm[/name] slightly more for two reasons 1) it looks better written down 2) I like M names in general. Sorry i cannot be of more help.
I love both, but I voted for [name]Malcolm[/name] because I can better see it with [name]Leo[/name] and your daughters’ names.
I think they’re both great!
Take care!
Thanks, everyone!
I actually like [name]Malcolm[/name] better than [name]Callum[/name] but I adore the nn [name]Cal[/name].
Can anyone think of a cool nn for [name]Malcolm[/name]? I heard that “[name]Mal[/name]” means “bad” in Spanish so that’s not great. My hubby, shockingly, suggested “[name]Mac[/name]”. What do you think of that?
Thanks all-
[name]Tara[/name]
Hey! Oh my gosh! I love [name]Mac[/name] for [name]Malcolm[/name]! 
[name]Do[/name] you like [name]Calvin[/name]? That could be another “[name]Cal[/name]” source…
[name]LOVE[/name] [name]Mac[/name]!
Take care!
I thought [name]Mac[/name] was kinda cute too!
I do like [name]Calvin[/name] but I really like the meaning of [name]Malcolm[/name] and [name]Callum[/name]. We’re Irish-Catholic and those names would reference our heritage and religion.
Thanks, as always, for your insight
[name]Tara[/name]
Hey! Oh my gosh! I love [name]Mac[/name] for [name]Malcolm[/name]! [name]Do[/name] you like [name]Calvin[/name]? That could be another “[name]Cal[/name]” source…
[name]LOVE[/name] [name]Mac[/name]!
Take care![/quote]
[name]Mac[/name], definitely!
[name]Love[/name] [name]Mac[/name]!
Yay! My hubby will feel so proud of himself!
Thanks zard!
[name]Tara[/name]
Yay! My hubby will feel so proud of himself!
Thanks zard!
[name]Tara[/name][/quote]
He should feel proud! I love [name]Malcolm[/name] and I think [name]Mac[/name] is so adorable but I can see it on all ages. [name]Love[/name] it.
Yay! My hubby will feel so proud of himself!
Thanks zard!
[name]Tara[/name][/quote]
He should feel proud! I love [name]Malcolm[/name] and I think [name]Mac[/name] is so adorable but I can see it on all ages. [name]Love[/name] it.[/quote]
I second that he should feel proud! Tell him to treat himself to some Nutella!
If you were to go with [name]Malcolm[/name], you could use [name]Colm[/name] as a nickname - it’s used commonly as a first name in [name]Ireland[/name], and is pronounced ‘Col’um’ - phonetically very close to [name]Callum[/name] (which as you say is just another variation). Best of both worlds!
Also, ‘[name]Mal[/name]’ always makes me think of [name]Nathan[/name] Fillion’s character in Firefly - not a bad reference!
punkprincessphd, you’re some kind of genius!
I love [name]Colm[/name] as a nn but I always thought it was pronounced “colm” almost like “calm”. Knowing the correct pronunciation makes me like it much more.
Also, I think [name]Mal[/name] is a fine nn for [name]Malcolm[/name] but there have been others to point out that “mal” means “bad” in Spanish so I shouldn’t go there. I don’t walk around speaking Spanish so I don’t really feel that it applies to us so much.
Thank you so much for your reply and your ideas!
[name]Tara[/name]
[name]Glad[/name] you liked the suggestion, [name]Tara[/name] - both names were on our list for our daughter (had she been a boy). I think the hardest name situation is when you have 2 names you love that are so similar - in most cases, choosing one means letting go of the other. but if you can have your cake and eat it too…hmmm. cake Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and the whole naming process.