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(make.info)Makefile Names

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What Name to Give Your Makefile
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   By default, when `make' looks for the makefile, it tries the
following names, in order: `GNUmakefile', `makefile' and `Makefile'.

   Normally you should call your makefile either `makefile' or
`Makefile'.  (We recommend `Makefile' because it appears prominently
near the beginning of a directory listing, right near other important
files such as `README'.)  The first name checked, `GNUmakefile', is not
recommended for most makefiles.  You should use this name if you have a
makefile that is specific to GNU `make', and will not be understood by
other versions of `make'.  Other `make' programs look for `makefile' and
`Makefile', but not `GNUmakefile'.

   If `make' finds none of these names, it does not use any makefile.
Then you must specify a goal with a command argument, and `make' will
attempt to figure out how to remake it using only its built-in implicit
rules.  Note: Using Implicit Rules.

   If you want to use a nonstandard name for your makefile, you can
specify the makefile name with the `-f' or `--file' option.  The
arguments `-f NAME' or `--file=NAME' tell `make' to read the file NAME
as the makefile.  If you use more than one `-f' or `--file' option, you
can specify several makefiles.  All the makefiles are effectively
concatenated in the order specified.  The default makefile names
`GNUmakefile', `makefile' and `Makefile' are not checked automatically
if you specify `-f' or `--file'.