Murphy
How to say it: MUR-fee · /ˈmɜrfi/
From Irish Gaelic 'Murchadh' meaning sea warrior; one of Ireland's most common surnames now used as a given name.
Murphy was the 414th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,124 babies of either sex (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 4.7-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #119 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #414 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 (both sexes) | 1,124 |
| Share of births | 1 in 2,949 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×4.7 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #119 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,735 among girls’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Momentum has carried Murphy upward into the 2020s. At its peak today, the name is expected to rise further.
What goes with it
Originally a surname, Murphy sounds soft and breathy. Riley shares its easygoing cadence.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Murphy is about 1 in 123.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Irish.
In France: #1,735 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Murphy
- Murphy Jensen (born 1968)US tennis player
- Murphy Troy (born 1989)US volleyball player
- Murphy Pakiam (born 1938)Catholic archbishop
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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