Molly
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Sea of Bitterness; Rebelliousness; Beloved
Background: The name Molly originates from the English diminutive of the name Mary. It is derived from the Hebrew 'Miryam,' which translates to 'sea of bitterness,' and is also linked to the Latin 'mala,' meaning 'rebelliousness.' Additionally, Molly can convey the meaning of 'beloved' as a derivative of Mary.
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#229
Total births
174,877
Most popular decade
1990s
(109,887 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-86 ranks)
Years in Top 100
21
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
0.2% male
99.8% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1972
- First year births
- 6
- First year rank
- #4,439
- Peak year
- 1989
- Peak year births
- 33
- Peak rank
- #2,107
- Most recent year
- 2014
- Recent year births
- 5
- Recent rank
- #12,106
Female
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 18
- First year rank
- #388
- Peak year
- 1991
- Peak year births
- 4,652
- Peak rank
- #74
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 1,465
- Recent rank
- #208
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).