Of Latin origin.
From the Latin name Martinus, deriving from the name of the Roman god Mars.
In Ancient Roman mythology Mars was the god of war and the guardian of agriculture.
He was considered the most prominent of the military gods among the Roman soldiers. He was identified with the Greek god Ares.
Mars is also the name of the fourth planet in our solar system.
Saint Martin of Tours was Bishop of Tours in France, although he was born in Hungary and spent his childhood in Italy.
According to the legend he cut his cloth in half, in order to protect a beggar from the cold weather.
He was a popular saint during the Middle Ages and his name became common in the Christian countries.
Martin became a popular name among Protestants due to Martin Luther.
It is also a common surname in France.
St. Martin is the name of a Caribbean island. Half of the island is French and half Dutch. It is also called “The Friendly Island”.
Feminine forms of the name are: Martina and Martine.
Other forms of the name are: Martie, Martino, Merten, Mårten, Morten, Marcin, Martín.
Famous bearers are Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Scorsese, Martin Heidegger, Martin Gore, Martin Sheen, Martin Lawrence, Martin Short, Martin Freeman, Martin Landau, Martin Wuttke, Martin Shaw, Martin Solveig, Martin Demichelis, Martin Van Buren, Martin Balsam, Martin Donovan, Martin Denny.
Martin is a popular name in Chile, Spain, Czech Republic and Norway.