Mac Miller's Real Name: Malcolm James McCormick

Quick answer: Mac Miller was born Malcolm James McCormick on January 19, 1992, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "Mac" was a family nickname, and Miller was his maternal grandmother's maiden name and his older brother's first name. The rapper and producer released albums including Blue Slide Park and Swimming. He died at his Los Angeles home on September 7, 2018, at 26; the coroner ruled it an accidental overdose (Britannica; Los Angeles County Medical Examiner).

Real name and early life

Britannica gives his original name as Malcolm James McCormick. The Library of Congress name authority files him as "Miller, Mac, 1992-2018," with the cross-reference "McCormick, Malcolm James, 1992-2018."

According to Britannica, he grew up in Pittsburgh's Point Breeze neighborhood. His mother, Karen Meyers, is a photographer, and his father, Mark McCormick, is an architect. He and his brother, Miller, were raised Jewish, like their mother, and attended a Roman Catholic grade school. He taught himself piano, guitar, bass, and drums as a child and began rapping at 14. At 15 he released his first mixtape under the name Easy Mac. In 2009 he began using Mac Miller.

Career highlights

Miller signed with Pittsburgh's Rostrum Records in 2010. His mixtape Best Day Ever (2011) included the single "Donald Trump," his first Hot 100 entry. Blue Slide Park (2011), named for a playground in Frick Park, was panned by critics but became the first independently distributed debut album to top the Billboard chart since 1995.

He moved to Los Angeles in 2012 and began producing, sometimes under the pseudonym Larry Fisherman. Watching Movies with the Sound Off (2013) drew better reviews. He signed with Warner Bros. in 2014, and GO:OD AM (2015) and The Divine Feminine (2016) followed. He spoke openly in interviews about depression and addiction. He collaborated with Ariana Grande on "The Way" (2013), and the two dated from 2016 until 2018. Swimming (2018) peaked at No. 3 and was nominated for the Grammy for best rap album.

Death

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner said he was found unresponsive at his Studio City home on September 7, 2018. It determined that he died of mixed drug toxicity from fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol; AP reported the death was ruled an accidental overdose. Britannica says his family had described him as being in his best shape in years. In 2018 his family and the Pittsburgh Foundation created the Mac Miller Fund to support young people from underserved communities.

His estate released Circles in 2020, and Balloonerism, recorded mostly in 2014, came out in 2025.

Name notes for searchers

Mac Miller is a stage name built from family names. AP reported that the coroner's report gave his full name as Malcolm James Myers McCormick. Britannica and the Library of Congress use Malcolm James McCormick.