Murphy

“Descendant of Murrough” — Irish origin

Girl's name · #397 in the US (2025) · Trending

Murphy first appeared in 1898, vanished from the records entirely for 43 years, and since returning in 1987 has climbed back to #397. About 4,700 girls have carried it in all. In Montana it runs about 5× its national rate. It is also an American family name — about 308,000 people carry it as a surname, according to US census data. For most of its history Murphy was mostly a boys' name; since around 2021 most babies named Murphy have been girls.

Around the world: about 1 in 1,400 girls in New Zealand (2025) · about 1 in 4,300 girls in Canada (2024) · about 1 in 4,500 girls in Scotland (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 38 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Murphys

Murphy Agnew — American soccer player
Murphy Sheaff — New Zealand soccer player (born 2003)

In stories & tradition

Murphy Cooper — Interstellar

What Murphys become

Among 49 notable people named Murphy:

Similar names: Murphie · Elowyn · Mulan · Effie · Blaire · Rory

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service