Murphy
Murphy was the 397th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 783 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,764 places. More babies were named Murphy in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning descendant of Murchadh, 'sea warrior' (Irish surname) · Irish
Say it MUR-fee /ˈmɝfi/
- Rank in 2025
- #397 girls, up 582 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 783girls
- Girls and boys
- 67% girls, 33% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025783 babies
- Total since 1880
- 13,174babies recorded
What does the name Murphy mean?
Murphy is a common Irish surname (the American Heritage Dictionary even names the slang "murphy," a potato, after it) and is now also used as a first name for boys and girls. It anglicizes Irish Ó Murchadha, "descendant of Murchadh," and the parallel Mac Murchaidh, "son of Murchadh." The old personal name Murchadh is usually explained as muir, sea, plus cath, battle, giving "sea warrior." Wiktionary describes its use as a given name for either sex as occasional and transferred from the surname.
Ó Murchadha (Irish, “descendant of Murchadh”)muir (Old Irish, “sea”)cath (Old Irish, “battle”)
How sure is this? Probable. The surname derivation is standard; 'sea warrior' depends on the older analysis of Murchadh and is not confirmed here by an edited surname dictionary.
Related names: Murchadh, Murdoch.
See also: Irish names, names that mean warrior, names that mean water.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Murphy' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Muircath' (Old Irish section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th ed., entry 'murphy' (etymology), HarperCollins / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Murphy popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #397 | #754 | 783 | 341 |
| 2020 | #979 | #967 | 261 | 225 |
| 2010 | #4,825 | #1,555 | 30 | 103 |
| 2000 | #5,443 | #1,957 | 21 | 53 |
| 1990 | #3,335 | #1,332 | 33 | 70 |
| 1980 | — | #2,262 | — | 23 |
| 1970 | — | #1,451 | — | 34 |
| 1960 | — | #1,248 | — | 40 |
| 1950 | — | #876 | — | 62 |
| 1940 | — | #869 | — | 53 |
| 1930 | #4,403 | #837 | 6 | 61 |
| 1920 | — | #779 | — | 73 |
| 1910 | — | #848 | — | 14 |
| 1900 | — | #524 | — | 21 |
| 1890 | — | #962 | — | 6 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Murphy, counting every spelling?
Murphy is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #376 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #397 for Murphy on its own. Together these spellings went to 878 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murphy | 783 | #397 | 2,862 |
| Murphie | 80 | #2,292 | 245 |
| Murphee | 15 | #7,386 | 55 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Murphy?
783 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Murphy (0.22 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Murphy born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 11 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Murphy.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Murphy?
About 4,600 people born in the US named Murphy are alive today, with a median age of 4; half are between 2 and 9. That makes Murphy a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Murphy by state
How common Murphy was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Montana (8.2×), Nebraska (3.8×), Idaho (3.1×), Kansas (3.0×), Iowa (2.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Connecticut, New Jersey, Nevada.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Murphy: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Murphy, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Murphy · Sibling names for Murphy
Questions about the name Murphy
What does Murphy mean?
Murphy means “descendant of Murchadh, 'sea warrior' (Irish surname)” (Irish origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Murphy?
Murphy was the 397th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 783 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,764 places. More babies were named Murphy in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Murphy a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 67% girls, 33% boys given the name Murphy in the US.
Where is Murphy most popular?
In 2021–2025, Murphy was most common in Montana (2.88 per 1,000 girls), followed by Nebraska and South Dakota.