Fun Facts About the Name Molly
- A favorite of earlier generations: Molly appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 5 separate runs, totaling 21 years. Its last run lasted 4 consecutive years, from 2009 through 2012.
- More than 176 thousand babies named Molly: U.S. records list 176,478 babies given the name Molly from 1880 through 2025. Even 360 boys received the name Molly - about 1 boy for every 489 girls.
What Does the Name Molly Mean?
Molly is an English feminine name. It developed as a pet form of Mary, so its literal meaning is the same as Mary's and is not certain. Mary comes from the Hebrew name Miriam, whose etymology is disputed. The traditional explanation is "bitterness," from the Hebrew root marar, but scholars have also suggested "rebelliousness," from marah, and "beloved," from an Egyptian root such as mry. None of these is proved. The familiar gloss "bitter" is therefore a customary interpretation inherited from Mary rather than a meaning that belongs to Molly independently.
Molly Name History & Origins
Molly arose in medieval England as a pet form of Mary. English speakers formed familiar names by altering the sounds of a longer name, so Mary could become Mally, Molly, or Polly, much as Margaret became Peggy. Early spellings of Molly included Molle and Mally. Over time it became an independent given name, not only a nickname.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Molly was used generically for a girl or woman, often a servant or a woman of lower social rank. The shortened form Moll appeared in slang, and both Moll and Molly could refer to a woman in a familiar or dismissive way. This generic use grew out of the name's commonness; it is a separate development from the name's origin in Mary.
Irish use of Molly is tied to Máire, the Irish form of Mary. English-speaking families in Ireland used Molly as a pet form of Máire. The name appears in the Dublin song "Molly Malone," which tells of a fictional street trader; the song is a later literary and musical association, not evidence of the name's origin.
In North America, Molly was used in the colonial and early national periods. Mary Ludwig Hays, who carried water to American soldiers at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778, was remembered as "Molly Pitcher." The name also appears in modern literature as Molly Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses. These are later famous uses, not the source of the name.
How Popular is the Name Molly?
Molly recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1991. People named Amelia who were born during its modern resurgence from 2009 through 2012 turn 14-17 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 | #196 | 1,601 | 0.0996% |
| 2024 | #208 | 1,465 | 0.0908% |
| 2023 | #208 | 1,437 | 0.0897% |
| 2022 | #199 | 1,481 | 0.0904% |
| 2021 | #186 | 1,582 | 0.0965% |
| 2020 | #174 | 1,644 | 0.1018% |
| 2019 | #161 | 1,757 | 0.1047% |
| 2018 | #157 | 1,799 | 0.1058% |
| 2017 | #166 | 1,829 | 0.1060% |
| 2016 | #157 | 1,985 | 0.1121% |
| 2015 | #144 | 2,254 | 0.1263% |
| 2014 | #122 | 2,605 | 0.1459% |
| 2013 | #102 | 3,084 | 0.1758% |
| 2012 | #90 | 3,260 | 0.1851% |
| 2011 | #78 | 3,615 | 0.2055% |
| 2010 | #87 | 3,362 | 0.1892% |
| 2009 | #92 | 3,510 | 0.1911% |
| 2008 | #104 | 3,321 | 0.1756% |
| 2007 | #97 | 3,415 | 0.1776% |
| 2006 | #105 | 3,127 | 0.1645% |
| 2005 | #97 | 3,215 | 0.1740% |
| 2004 | #97 | 3,344 | 0.1821% |
| 2003 | #99 | 3,403 | 0.1863% |
| 2002 | #107 | 3,119 | 0.1736% |
| 2001 | #90 | 3,415 | 0.1897% |
| 2000 | #96 | 3,401 | 0.1873% |
| 1999 | #102 | 3,326 | 0.1875% |
| 1998 | #108 | 3,192 | 0.1807% |
| 1997 | #98 | 3,452 | 0.1983% |
| 1996 | #99 | 3,312 | 0.1889% |
| 1995 | #98 | 3,382 | 0.1923% |
| 1994 | #96 | 3,441 | 0.1927% |
| 1993 | #87 | 3,708 | 0.2050% |
| 1992 | #83 | 4,138 | 0.2244% |
| 1991 | #74 | 4,652 | 0.2481% |
| 1990 | #80 | 3,965 | 0.2088% |
| 1989 | #93 | 3,459 | 0.1876% |
| 1988 | #86 | 3,461 | 0.1943% |
| 1987 | #97 | 2,891 | 0.1663% |
| 1986 | #110 | 2,548 | 0.1485% |
| 1985 | #119 | 2,433 | 0.1414% |
| 1984 | #131 | 2,178 | 0.1293% |
| 1983 | #129 | 2,311 | 0.1383% |
| 1982 | #131 | 2,317 | 0.1368% |
| 1981 | #135 | 2,089 | 0.1252% |
| 1980 | #133 | 2,203 | 0.1327% |
| 1979 | #139 | 2,023 | 0.1260% |
| 1978 | #142 | 1,932 | 0.1261% |
| 1977 | #141 | 2,067 | 0.1348% |
| 1976 | #150 | 1,729 | 0.1180% |
| 1975 | #170 | 1,548 | 0.1062% |
| 1974 | #179 | 1,480 | 0.1008% |
| 1973 | #195 | 1,329 | 0.0911% |
| 1972 | #226 | 1,234 | 0.0811% |
| 1971 | #248 | 1,185 | 0.0712% |
| 1970 | #258 | 1,192 | 0.0682% |
| 1969 | #265 | 1,093 | 0.0648% |
| 1968 | #266 | 1,020 | 0.0622% |
| 1967 | #265 | 1,016 | 0.0615% |
| 1966 | #265 | 984 | 0.0582% |
| 1965 | #264 | 1,062 | 0.0602% |
| 1964 | #290 | 1,002 | 0.0529% |
| 1963 | #320 | 860 | 0.0446% |
| 1962 | #327 | 821 | 0.0417% |
| 1961 | #337 | 781 | 0.0387% |
| 1960 | #361 | 727 | 0.0360% |
| 1959 | #344 | 763 | 0.0377% |
| 1958 | #343 | 745 | 0.0370% |
| 1957 | #341 | 699 | 0.0342% |
| 1956 | #344 | 654 | 0.0326% |
| 1955 | #344 | 622 | 0.0318% |
| 1954 | #352 | 599 | 0.0308% |
| 1953 | #346 | 582 | 0.0309% |
| 1952 | #333 | 617 | 0.0333% |
| 1951 | #320 | 612 | 0.0340% |
| 1950 | #324 | 564 | 0.0329% |
| 1949 | #328 | 556 | 0.0325% |
| 1948 | #331 | 562 | 0.0331% |
| 1947 | #366 | 484 | 0.0273% |
| 1946 | #371 | 415 | 0.0264% |
| 1945 | #387 | 333 | 0.0255% |
| 1944 | #367 | 366 | 0.0276% |
| 1943 | #366 | 386 | 0.0277% |
| 1942 | #362 | 375 | 0.0278% |
| 1941 | #364 | 339 | 0.0281% |
| 1940 | #349 | 345 | 0.0302% |
| 1939 | #340 | 348 | 0.0317% |
| 1938 | #359 | 329 | 0.0298% |
| 1937 | #369 | 306 | 0.0288% |
| 1936 | #356 | 316 | 0.0304% |
| 1935 | #365 | 301 | 0.0287% |
| 1934 | #368 | 292 | 0.0280% |
| 1933 | #394 | 271 | 0.0269% |
| 1932 | #361 | 315 | 0.0295% |
| 1931 | #370 | 300 | 0.0282% |
| 1930 | #362 | 342 | 0.0304% |
| 1929 | #375 | 320 | 0.0287% |
| 1928 | #381 | 315 | 0.0273% |
| 1927 | #431 | 258 | 0.0216% |
| 1926 | #433 | 255 | 0.0215% |
| 1925 | #443 | 241 | 0.0198% |
| 1924 | #404 | 290 | 0.0232% |
| 1923 | #388 | 293 | 0.0243% |
| 1922 | #397 | 277 | 0.0231% |
| 1921 | #385 | 302 | 0.0245% |
| 1920 | #427 | 246 | 0.0205% |
| 1919 | #400 | 258 | 0.0228% |
| 1918 | #374 | 306 | 0.0264% |
| 1917 | #357 | 310 | 0.0287% |
| 1916 | #336 | 333 | 0.0319% |
| 1915 | #331 | 325 | 0.0330% |
| 1914 | #337 | 247 | 0.0324% |
| 1913 | #346 | 197 | 0.0315% |
| 1912 | #323 | 197 | 0.0353% |
| 1911 | #354 | 129 | 0.0308% |
| 1910 | #316 | 145 | 0.0366% |
| 1909 | #346 | 109 | 0.0314% |
| 1908 | #360 | 101 | 0.0302% |
| 1907 | #328 | 113 | 0.0355% |
| 1906 | #362 | 86 | 0.0291% |
| 1905 | #402 | 71 | 0.0243% |
| 1904 | #392 | 72 | 0.0261% |
| 1903 | #370 | 75 | 0.0286% |
| 1902 | #423 | 54 | 0.0204% |
| 1901 | #401 | 55 | 0.0230% |
| 1900 | #411 | 67 | 0.0223% |
| 1899 | #428 | 47 | 0.0202% |
| 1898 | #499 | 39 | 0.0151% |
| 1897 | #418 | 50 | 0.0213% |
| 1896 | #415 | 49 | 0.0206% |
| 1895 | #422 | 45 | 0.0193% |
| 1894 | #471 | 36 | 0.0161% |
| 1893 | #354 | 58 | 0.0272% |
| 1892 | #375 | 51 | 0.0240% |
| 1891 | #445 | 33 | 0.0178% |
| 1890 | #372 | 46 | 0.0242% |
| 1889 | #415 | 35 | 0.0196% |
| 1888 | #409 | 37 | 0.0207% |
| 1887 | #388 | 32 | 0.0219% |
| 1886 | #404 | 29 | 0.0201% |
| 1885 | #378 | 30 | 0.0225% |
| 1884 | #356 | 32 | 0.0248% |
| 1883 | #328 | 30 | 0.0267% |
| 1882 | #325 | 30 | 0.0278% |
| 1881 | #278 | 33 | 0.0359% |
| 1880 | #400 | 18 | 0.0198% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #13,398 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #8,643 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #10,403 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #10,401 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #13,941 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2007 | #11,884 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #11,590 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #9,809 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #3,425 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2000 | #8,824 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #6,919 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #9,253 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #8,646 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #8,451 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #9,688 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #5,984 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #4,991 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #5,674 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #2,135 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 1988 | #2,919 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1987 | #4,151 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #4,361 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #5,013 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #3,051 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1983 | #3,363 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1982 | #2,488 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1981 | #3,771 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #3,764 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #4,697 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #4,056 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #3,517 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1976 | #3,909 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #5,242 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #5,741 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #4,356 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #4,787 | 6 | 0.0004% |
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.
