Murphy
From Irish Ó Murchadha (“descendant of Murrough”), Mac Murchaidh (“Son of Murrough”), etc. See Muircath.
Every Murphy since 1881 — 13,174 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Murphy
Murphy is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #754 in 2025 with 341 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 13,174 American babies have been named Murphy — about 64% boys and 36% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 1,124 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Murphy stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Murphy year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 783 | #397 | 341 | #754 |
| 2024 | 650 | #476 | 308 | #816 |
| 2023 | 588 | #517 | 258 | #904 |
| 2022 | 443 | #667 | 267 | #887 |
| 2021 | 398 | #719 | 214 | #1,028 |
| 2020 | 261 | #979 | 225 | #967 |
| 2019 | 177 | #1,301 | 185 | #1,083 |
| 2018 | 146 | #1,503 | 165 | #1,163 |
| 2017 | 148 | #1,503 | 165 | #1,151 |
| 2016 | 124 | #1,717 | 163 | #1,174 |
| 2015 | 88 | #2,161 | 149 | #1,230 |
| 2014 | 42 | #3,700 | 123 | #1,386 |
| 2013 | 31 | #4,611 | 103 | #1,544 |
| 2012 | 25 | #5,512 | 73 | #1,957 |
| 2011 | 26 | #5,316 | 102 | #1,558 |
| 2010 | 30 | #4,825 | 103 | #1,555 |
| 2009 | 24 | #5,840 | 90 | #1,729 |
| 2008 | 34 | #4,521 | 85 | #1,772 |
| 2007 | 20 | #6,740 | 82 | #1,791 |
| 2006 | 35 | #4,233 | 60 | #2,164 |
| 2005 | 32 | #4,336 | 67 | #1,904 |
| 2004 | 27 | #4,907 | 79 | #1,649 |
| 2003 | 34 | #4,006 | 57 | #2,021 |
| 2002 | 25 | #4,856 | 57 | #1,963 |
| 2001 | 19 | #6,002 | 46 | #2,235 |
| 2000 | 21 | #5,443 | 53 | #1,957 |
| 1995 | 33 | #3,403 | 57 | #1,617 |
| 1990 | 33 | #3,335 | 70 | #1,332 |
| 1985 | — | — | 25 | #2,206 |
| 1980 | — | — | 23 | #2,262 |
| 1975 | — | — | 32 | #1,619 |
| 1970 | — | — | 34 | #1,451 |
| 1965 | — | — | 37 | #1,265 |
| 1960 | — | — | 40 | #1,248 |
| 1955 | — | — | 59 | #984 |
| 1950 | — | — | 62 | #876 |
| 1945 | — | — | 42 | #990 |
| 1940 | — | — | 53 | #869 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,700 | 60 | #801 |
| 1930 | 6 | #4,403 | 61 | #837 |
| 1925 | — | — | 68 | #806 |
| 1920 | — | — | 73 | #779 |
| 1915 | 6 | #4,104 | 61 | #768 |
| 1910 | — | — | 14 | #848 |
| 1905 | — | — | 17 | #583 |
| 1900 | — | — | 21 | #524 |
| 1895 | — | — | 11 | #661 |
| 1890 | — | — | 6 | #962 |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #1,042 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Murphy mean?
From Irish Ó Murchadha (“descendant of Murrough”), Mac Murchaidh (“Son of Murrough”), etc. See Muircath.
How popular is the name Murphy in 2025?
Murphy ranked #754 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 341 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Murphy?
13,174 babies have been named Murphy in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Murphy most popular?
Murphy peaked in 2025, when 1,124 newborns received the name.
Is Murphy a boy or girl name?
Murphy is used for both: about 36% of babies named Murphy have been girls and 64% boys.
Is the name Murphy rising or falling?
Murphy is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.