Myrtle
After the plant, myrtle; used since the end of the 19th century.
Every Myrtle since 1880 — 136,984 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Myrtle
Myrtle is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #11,611 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 136,984 American babies have been named Myrtle. Its peak came in 1918, when 4,094 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Myrtle stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Myrtle 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 | 8 | #11,611 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,634 | — | — |
| 2022 | 6 | #14,779 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 12 | #8,952 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | 5 | #18,047 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | 9 | #11,657 | — | — |
| 2013 | 5 | #18,448 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 6 | #15,839 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 9 | #9,303 | — | — |
| 1990 | 8 | #9,860 | — | — |
| 1985 | 10 | #6,787 | — | — |
| 1980 | 27 | #3,184 | — | — |
| 1975 | 41 | #2,121 | — | — |
| 1970 | 50 | #1,795 | — | — |
| 1965 | 117 | #947 | — | — |
| 1960 | 175 | #772 | — | — |
| 1955 | 316 | #520 | — | — |
| 1950 | 460 | #376 | — | — |
| 1945 | 621 | #277 | — | — |
| 1940 | 1,020 | #184 | 5 | #3,797 |
| 1935 | 1,312 | #153 | 7 | #3,163 |
| 1930 | 1,997 | #123 | 15 | #2,037 |
| 1925 | 2,980 | #95 | 9 | #3,071 |
| 1920 | 3,955 | #68 | 8 | #3,402 |
| 1915 | 3,865 | #58 | 22 | #1,493 |
| 1910 | 2,145 | #43 | 7 | #1,383 |
| 1905 | 2,026 | #33 | — | — |
| 1900 | 2,252 | #32 | — | — |
| 1895 | 1,938 | #28 | 12 | #633 |
| 1890 | 1,406 | #34 | 5 | #1,110 |
| 1885 | 1,026 | #34 | 5 | #1,043 |
| 1880 | 615 | #40 | 5 | #1,018 |
Famous people named Myrtle
- Myrtle Cook Politician · 1902–1985
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Myrtle mean?
After the plant, myrtle; used since the end of the 19th century.
How popular is the name Myrtle in 2025?
Myrtle ranked #11,611 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Myrtle?
136,984 babies have been named Myrtle in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Myrtle most popular?
Myrtle peaked in 1918, when 4,094 newborns received the name.
Is Myrtle a boy or girl name?
Myrtle is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Myrtle rising or falling?
Myrtle has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Myrtle?
Well-known people named Myrtle include Myrtle Cook (politician).