Baby Name Popularity Profile

Molly

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Molly.

✦ Bitter, rebellious, or beloved 🌍 English, Hebrew traditional biblical
National Rank (2025) #196
All-Time Peak Rank #74 Achieved 1991
Total U.S. Births 176,127 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.1% Boy / 99.9% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1990s 4,652 births in 1991
💡 The Molly Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Bitter, rebellious, or beloved
Language Origin English, Hebrew
Origin Type multiple
Derived from Mary, a Hebrew name (Miryam) with uncertain meaning, possibly 'bitter', 'rebellious', or 'beloved'. Molly emerged as a medieval diminutive of Mary.
Common Nicknames
Mol
Alternative Spellings
Mollie
Pronunciation: MOL-ee
Themes & Categories
traditional biblical
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Molly

According to SSA data, Molly achieved its highest historical rank of #74 in 1991. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1991 with 4,652 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 29.0%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Molly across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift -29.0% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 4,652 births in 1991
Years in Top 100 21 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 306
1890s: 454
1900s: 803
1910s: 2,447
1920s: 2,797
1930s: 3,119
1940s: 4,161
1950s: 6,458
1960s: 9,364
1970s: 15,715
1980s: 25,891
1990s: 36,567
2000s: 33,271
2010s: 25,553
2020s: 9,221

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Mo-lly
Letter Count 5 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 7.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 7.7% of SSA names. Starts with M, a letter used by only 7.6% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Molly.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State New Hampshire
Top States New Hampshire, Alaska, Minnesota, Vermont, Oregon
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
New Hampshire #226 1,425 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 555 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #163 6,750 1991 5.7% Decline
Vermont #94 622 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #151 3,248 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #216 4,509 1991 +6.2% Growth
Iowa #142 3,629 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #197 3,176 1988 3.1% Decline
Maine #124 1,141 2001 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #98 6,282 1991 13.6% Decline
Montana #159 774 2001 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #168 5,033 1991 27.3% Decline
Nebraska #381 1,838 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #141 11,017 1991 +5.4% Growth
Connecticut #113 2,502 1993 +4.0% Growth
Idaho #153 885 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #217 4,723 1991 39.6% Decline
Delaware #210 421 2007 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #215 4,719 1991 15.4% Decline
Kansas #132 2,080 1988 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota #150 658 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #140 9,340 1991 9.0% Decline
Utah #148 1,535 2011 32.6% Decline
Michigan #196 7,043 1991 16.4% Decline
Maryland #222 2,785 1991 17.2% Decline
North Dakota #131 622 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island #211 660 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #135 2,949 2003 5.7% Decline
Pennsylvania #150 9,073 1991 16.9% Decline
Wyoming Unranked 228 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #407 2,029 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #178 3,741 2011 11.5% Decline
Tennessee #167 3,455 2000 +2.2% Growth
Nevada Unranked 516 2007 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 767 1992 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #206 4,060 2009 5.4% Decline
Oklahoma #260 1,924 1991 50.0% Decline
New York #155 10,799 1991 +5.0% Growth
New Jersey #112 3,749 2009 +11.7% Growth
Georgia #244 3,757 2009 +15.8% Growth
Alabama #120 2,421 2006 +15.6% Growth
Louisiana #100 2,329 2011 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 555 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #174 1,332 1992 Insufficient historical volume
California #402 12,253 1991 10.8% Decline
Florida #319 4,183 1991 +11.5% Growth
Texas #256 9,276 2011 +47.8% Growth
West Virginia #353 1,116 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi #122 1,409 2011 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #260 1,597 2011 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 102 1934 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Tyler Austin Jordan Dawson Victor Alex Brandon Grant Antonio Zachary
👧 Sister Suggestions
Summer Bailey Jasmine Ana Kiara Selena Allison Samantha Katherine Alexandra

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