Fun Facts About the Name Minnie
- An established favorite: Minnie held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 45 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1924.
- More than 160 thousand babies named Minnie: U.S. records list 160,065 babies given the name Minnie from 1880 through 2025. Even 787 boys received the name Minnie - about 1 boy for every 202 girls.
What Does the Name Minnie Mean?
Minnie is an English pet form, or diminutive, rather than a name with a single root. It is built by adding the familiar -ie ending to a shorter name, and it has two well-established parent names: Minerva and Wilhelmina. Because a diminutive takes its meaning from the name it shortens, Minnie has no single fixed translation.
Minerva is the Latin name of the Roman goddess of wisdom, crafts, and war, identified with the Greek Athena. The Latin form most likely descends from the Etruscan Menrva, and the deeper origin is uncertain. A long-standing suggestion connects it to Latin mens, "mind," but that link is not demonstrated.
Wilhelmina is the feminine form of the Germanic name Wilhelm, the ancestor of William. It joins wil, "will" or "desire," and helm, "helmet" or "protection," and is commonly interpreted as "resolute protector."
Minnie Name History & Origins
The -ie and -y endings were common in medieval English as affectionate shortenings of longer names, and some of these short forms later became independent given names. Minnie was used both for women named Minerva and for women named Wilhelmina; the related short form Mina was also current as a shortening of Wilhelmina, and Minnie is close to it.
Wilhelmina was carried by several European royals, among them Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who reigned from 1890 to 1948. Minerva likewise appears in English use as a given name, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, which gave the short form Minnie a second source.
By the 19th century Minnie was in use as a name in its own right in the English-speaking world. Among later well-known bearers are the singer Minnie Riperton, the actress Minnie Driver, and the country comedian Minnie Pearl, the stage name of Sarah Colley Cannon. Walt Disney's Minnie Mouse, introduced in 1928, is a famous fictional use of the name and is not connected to its origin.
How Popular is the Name Minnie?
Minnie remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1924. Its highest annual birth count was in 1916, and people born that year turn 110 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,060 | 54 | 0.0034% |
| 2024 | #2,758 | 62 | 0.0038% |
| 2023 | #3,254 | 50 | 0.0031% |
| 2022 | #3,016 | 55 | 0.0034% |
| 2021 | #2,740 | 63 | 0.0038% |
| 2020 | #2,462 | 71 | 0.0044% |
| 2019 | #2,418 | 74 | 0.0044% |
| 2018 | #2,602 | 67 | 0.0039% |
| 2017 | #2,627 | 67 | 0.0039% |
| 2016 | #2,659 | 66 | 0.0037% |
| 2015 | #2,638 | 68 | 0.0038% |
| 2014 | #3,261 | 50 | 0.0028% |
| 2013 | #2,927 | 58 | 0.0033% |
| 2012 | #3,566 | 45 | 0.0026% |
| 2011 | #3,890 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2010 | #4,008 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 2009 | #5,188 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2008 | #3,762 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 2007 | #7,637 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2006 | #4,057 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2005 | #4,334 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2004 | #4,903 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2003 | #5,049 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2002 | #3,947 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 2001 | #4,789 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2000 | #4,046 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1999 | #4,687 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1998 | #3,472 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1997 | #3,783 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1996 | #3,276 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1995 | #3,843 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1994 | #3,076 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1993 | #4,338 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1992 | #2,370 | 55 | 0.0030% |
| 1991 | #3,074 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1990 | #3,002 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1989 | #3,229 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1988 | #2,476 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 1987 | #2,351 | 45 | 0.0026% |
| 1986 | #2,820 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1985 | #1,796 | 63 | 0.0037% |
| 1984 | #2,255 | 44 | 0.0026% |
| 1983 | #1,946 | 53 | 0.0032% |
| 1982 | #2,242 | 45 | 0.0027% |
| 1981 | #1,929 | 56 | 0.0034% |
| 1980 | #1,632 | 71 | 0.0043% |
| 1979 | #1,581 | 73 | 0.0045% |
| 1978 | #1,763 | 59 | 0.0039% |
| 1977 | #1,570 | 69 | 0.0045% |
| 1976 | #1,325 | 82 | 0.0056% |
| 1975 | #1,208 | 96 | 0.0066% |
| 1974 | #1,120 | 104 | 0.0071% |
| 1973 | #1,072 | 108 | 0.0074% |
| 1972 | #1,019 | 115 | 0.0076% |
| 1971 | #956 | 134 | 0.0081% |
| 1970 | #993 | 126 | 0.0072% |
| 1969 | #901 | 138 | 0.0082% |
| 1968 | #815 | 155 | 0.0094% |
| 1967 | #741 | 175 | 0.0106% |
| 1966 | #733 | 181 | 0.0107% |
| 1965 | #683 | 208 | 0.0118% |
| 1964 | #687 | 223 | 0.0118% |
| 1963 | #645 | 245 | 0.0127% |
| 1962 | #610 | 270 | 0.0137% |
| 1961 | #552 | 321 | 0.0159% |
| 1960 | #515 | 350 | 0.0173% |
| 1959 | #470 | 423 | 0.0209% |
| 1958 | #465 | 416 | 0.0207% |
| 1957 | #464 | 418 | 0.0204% |
| 1956 | #406 | 494 | 0.0246% |
| 1955 | #377 | 546 | 0.0279% |
| 1954 | #347 | 614 | 0.0316% |
| 1953 | #318 | 657 | 0.0349% |
| 1952 | #302 | 696 | 0.0375% |
| 1951 | #279 | 792 | 0.0440% |
| 1950 | #258 | 877 | 0.0512% |
| 1949 | #247 | 935 | 0.0547% |
| 1948 | #237 | 993 | 0.0585% |
| 1947 | #229 | 1,051 | 0.0593% |
| 1946 | #218 | 1,072 | 0.0682% |
| 1945 | #187 | 1,088 | 0.0832% |
| 1944 | #175 | 1,220 | 0.0919% |
| 1943 | #173 | 1,347 | 0.0965% |
| 1942 | #161 | 1,446 | 0.1071% |
| 1941 | #166 | 1,355 | 0.1122% |
| 1940 | #168 | 1,229 | 0.1075% |
| 1939 | #165 | 1,269 | 0.1157% |
| 1938 | #161 | 1,360 | 0.1233% |
| 1937 | #156 | 1,378 | 0.1295% |
| 1936 | #148 | 1,430 | 0.1375% |
| 1935 | #139 | 1,581 | 0.1508% |
| 1934 | #133 | 1,663 | 0.1593% |
| 1933 | #135 | 1,603 | 0.1590% |
| 1932 | #129 | 1,809 | 0.1695% |
| 1931 | #129 | 1,773 | 0.1665% |
| 1930 | #122 | 2,008 | 0.1783% |
| 1929 | #124 | 1,994 | 0.1786% |
| 1928 | #118 | 2,227 | 0.1931% |
| 1927 | #114 | 2,469 | 0.2071% |
| 1926 | #111 | 2,449 | 0.2066% |
| 1925 | #104 | 2,739 | 0.2250% |
| 1924 | #100 | 2,885 | 0.2310% |
| 1923 | #99 | 2,785 | 0.2309% |
| 1922 | #91 | 3,115 | 0.2594% |
| 1921 | #96 | 2,998 | 0.2431% |
| 1920 | #87 | 3,244 | 0.2707% |
| 1919 | #80 | 3,272 | 0.2895% |
| 1918 | #88 | 3,181 | 0.2748% |
| 1917 | #75 | 3,262 | 0.3017% |
| 1916 | #71 | 3,274 | 0.3135% |
| 1915 | #68 | 3,270 | 0.3324% |
| 1914 | #67 | 2,718 | 0.3569% |
| 1913 | #63 | 2,332 | 0.3734% |
| 1912 | #60 | 2,295 | 0.4112% |
| 1911 | #52 | 1,899 | 0.4540% |
| 1910 | #50 | 1,983 | 0.5001% |
| 1909 | #50 | 1,779 | 0.5123% |
| 1908 | #47 | 1,817 | 0.5435% |
| 1907 | #40 | 1,907 | 0.5986% |
| 1906 | #39 | 1,777 | 0.6018% |
| 1905 | #35 | 1,950 | 0.6687% |
| 1904 | #35 | 1,885 | 0.6846% |
| 1903 | #35 | 1,846 | 0.7047% |
| 1902 | #29 | 2,055 | 0.7782% |
| 1901 | #26 | 2,026 | 0.8465% |
| 1900 | #22 | 2,673 | 0.8916% |
| 1899 | #25 | 2,036 | 0.8737% |
| 1898 | #21 | 2,409 | 0.9309% |
| 1897 | #21 | 2,284 | 0.9752% |
| 1896 | #16 | 2,530 | 1.0634% |
| 1895 | #13 | 2,567 | 1.0988% |
| 1894 | #12 | 2,592 | 1.1627% |
| 1893 | #12 | 2,510 | 1.1789% |
| 1892 | #12 | 2,609 | 1.2287% |
| 1891 | #8 | 2,428 | 1.3090% |
| 1890 | #8 | 2,650 | 1.3920% |
| 1889 | #6 | 2,624 | 1.4711% |
| 1888 | #6 | 2,654 | 1.4858% |
| 1887 | #6 | 2,215 | 1.5173% |
| 1886 | #5 | 2,372 | 1.6411% |
| 1885 | #6 | 2,178 | 1.6369% |
| 1884 | #5 | 2,243 | 1.7385% |
| 1883 | #5 | 2,035 | 1.8118% |
| 1882 | #5 | 2,004 | 1.8582% |
| 1881 | #6 | 1,653 | 1.7977% |
| 1880 | #5 | 1,746 | 1.9188% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | #4,375 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #4,360 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #4,177 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #3,575 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #4,052 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #3,558 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #2,807 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1946 | #3,853 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #2,910 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1944 | #2,784 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #2,508 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1942 | #2,653 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #2,811 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #2,800 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1939 | #2,133 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1938 | #1,950 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1937 | #1,889 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1936 | #1,855 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1935 | #2,654 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1934 | #1,650 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1933 | #2,061 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1932 | #1,829 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1931 | #1,750 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1930 | #2,556 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1929 | #1,906 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1928 | #2,485 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1927 | #2,168 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1926 | #2,843 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1925 | #1,725 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1924 | #2,103 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1923 | #1,999 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1922 | #2,310 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1921 | #2,924 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1920 | #2,414 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1919 | #2,035 | 16 | 0.0016% |
| 1918 | #2,651 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1917 | #3,449 | 7 | 0.0008% |
| 1916 | #2,356 | 12 | 0.0013% |
| 1915 | #2,034 | 14 | 0.0016% |
| 1914 | #2,217 | 10 | 0.0015% |
| 1913 | #2,203 | 8 | 0.0016% |
| 1912 | #1,592 | 11 | 0.0026% |
| 1911 | #1,488 | 7 | 0.0031% |
| 1910 | #1,530 | 6 | 0.0031% |
| 1909 | #1,130 | 8 | 0.0049% |
| 1908 | #1,090 | 8 | 0.0052% |
| 1907 | #914 | 10 | 0.0068% |
| 1906 | #979 | 8 | 0.0060% |
| 1905 | #1,190 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1904 | #1,338 | 5 | 0.0039% |
| 1903 | #644 | 13 | 0.0109% |
| 1902 | #719 | 11 | 0.0090% |
| 1901 | #713 | 10 | 0.0094% |
| 1900 | #765 | 12 | 0.0080% |
| 1899 | #692 | 10 | 0.0094% |
| 1898 | #862 | 8 | 0.0065% |
| 1897 | #509 | 16 | 0.0142% |
| 1896 | #581 | 14 | 0.0117% |
| 1895 | #780 | 9 | 0.0077% |
| 1894 | #1,041 | 6 | 0.0052% |
| 1893 | #442 | 18 | 0.0160% |
| 1892 | #838 | 8 | 0.0066% |
| 1891 | #551 | 12 | 0.0119% |
| 1890 | #476 | 16 | 0.0144% |
| 1889 | #540 | 13 | 0.0118% |
| 1888 | #544 | 14 | 0.0116% |
| 1887 | #572 | 11 | 0.0108% |
| 1886 | #739 | 8 | 0.0072% |
| 1885 | #901 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1883 | #492 | 14 | 0.0134% |
| 1882 | #632 | 10 | 0.0088% |
| 1881 | #685 | 8 | 0.0079% |
| 1880 | #669 | 9 | 0.0081% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Minnie
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Minnie Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Minnie's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Minnie's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.