Girl
Molly
bitter, wished-for child
About Molly
Warm, friendly, and eternally cheerful—this name radiates positive energy from every angle. Molly has maintained steady popularity for good reason: it simply makes people happy. The two syllables bounce along with an upbeat rhythm that's impossible not to love. This name feels like sunshine, laughter, and warm hugs all rolled into one delightful package. Parents choose Molly when they want a name that's approachable rather than intimidating, sweet without being saccharine. It works perfectly across all ages, equally suitable for a giggling baby, an adventurous child, and a capable adult. Molly needs no embellishment or explanation—it stands confidently on its own, beloved by teachers, relatives, and friends alike for its genuine, down-to-earth charm.
Popularity of the Name Molly
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #400 | ||||
| 1881 | #278 | ||||
| 1882 | #325 | ||||
| 1883 | #328 | ||||
| 1884 | #356 | ||||
| 1885 | #378 | ||||
| 1886 | #404 | ||||
| 1887 | #388 | ||||
| 1888 | #409 | ||||
| 1889 | #415 | ||||
| 1890 | #372 | ||||
| 1891 | #445 | ||||
| 1892 | #375 | ||||
| 1893 | #354 | ||||
| 1894 | #471 | ||||
| 1895 | #422 | ||||
| 1896 | #415 | ||||
| 1897 | #418 | ||||
| 1898 | #499 | ||||
| 1899 | #428 | ||||
| 1900 | #411 | ||||
| 1901 | #401 | ||||
| 1902 | #423 | ||||
| 1903 | #370 | ||||
| 1904 | #392 | ||||
| 1905 | #402 | ||||
| 1906 | #362 | ||||
| 1907 | #328 | #147 | |||
| 1908 | #360 | #148 | |||
| 1909 | #346 | #179 | |||
| 1910 | #316 | #151 | |||
| 1911 | #354 | #168 | |||
| 1912 | #323 | #127 | |||
| 1913 | #346 | #89 | |||
| 1914 | #337 | #91 | |||
| 1915 | #331 | #137 | |||
| 1916 | #336 | #100 | |||
| 1917 | #357 | #94 | |||
| 1918 | #374 | #80 | |||
| 1919 | #400 | #115 | |||
| 1920 | #427 | #80 | |||
| 1921 | #385 | #80 | |||
| 1922 | #397 | #105 | |||
| 1923 | #388 | #116 | |||
| 1924 | #404 | #125 | |||
| 1925 | #443 | #127 | |||
| 1926 | #433 | #130 | |||
| 1927 | #431 | #124 | |||
| 1928 | #381 | #118 | |||
| 1929 | #375 | #100 | |||
| 1930 | #362 | #122 | |||
| 1931 | #370 | #100 | |||
| 1932 | #361 | #155 | |||
| 1933 | #394 | #113 | |||
| 1934 | #369 | #143 | |||
| 1935 | #365 | ||||
| 1936 | #357 | #168 | |||
| 1937 | #369 | #185 | |||
| 1938 | #359 | #189 | |||
| 1939 | #340 | #200 | |||
| 1940 | #349 | #216 | |||
| 1941 | #364 | #245 | |||
| 1942 | #362 | #242 | |||
| 1943 | #366 | #194 | |||
| 1944 | #367 | ||||
| 1945 | #387 | ||||
| 1946 | #371 | #282 | |||
| 1947 | #366 | ||||
| 1948 | #331 | ||||
| 1949 | #328 | #246 | |||
| 1950 | #324 | ||||
| 1951 | #320 | ||||
| 1952 | #332 | ||||
| 1953 | #345 | ||||
| 1954 | #351 | ||||
| 1955 | #344 | ||||
| 1956 | #344 | ||||
| 1957 | #341 | ||||
| 1958 | #343 | ||||
| 1959 | #344 | ||||
| 1960 | #361 | ||||
| 1961 | #337 | ||||
| 1962 | #327 | ||||
| 1963 | #320 | ||||
| 1964 | #290 | ||||
| 1965 | #264 | ||||
| 1966 | #265 | ||||
| 1967 | #265 | ||||
| 1968 | #265 | ||||
| 1969 | #265 | ||||
| 1970 | #259 | ||||
| 1971 | #248 | ||||
| 1972 | #226 | ||||
| 1973 | #195 | ||||
| 1974 | #179 | ||||
| 1975 | #170 | ||||
| 1976 | #150 | ||||
| 1977 | #141 | ||||
| 1978 | #142 | ||||
| 1979 | #139 | ||||
| 1980 | #133 | ||||
| 1981 | #135 | ||||
| 1982 | #131 | ||||
| 1983 | #129 | ||||
| 1984 | #131 | ||||
| 1985 | #119 | ||||
| 1986 | #110 | ||||
| 1987 | #97 | ||||
| 1988 | #86 | ||||
| 1989 | #93 | #432 | |||
| 1990 | #80 | #333 | |||
| 1991 | #74 | #301 | #278 | #231 | |
| 1992 | #83 | #250 | #188 | #221 | |
| 1993 | #87 | #181 | #196 | #207 | |
| 1994 | #96 | #166 | #189 | #210 | |
| 1995 | #98 | #116 | #123 | #209 | |
| 1996 | #99 | #136 | #141 | #197 | |
| 1997 | #98 | #25 | #94 | #81 | #209 |
| 1998 | #108 | #28 | #82 | #87 | #174 |
| 1999 | #102 | #24 | #74 | #64 | #155 |
| 2000 | #96 | #21 | #49 | #43 | #163 |
| 2001 | #90 | #15 | #36 | #31 | #127 |
| 2002 | #107 | #15 | #39 | #33 | #138 |
| 2003 | #99 | #19 | #32 | #37 | #149 |
| 2004 | #97 | #19 | #34 | #31 | #142 |
| 2005 | #97 | #22 | #36 | #25 | #130 |
| 2006 | #105 | #26 | #35 | #26 | #132 |
| 2007 | #97 | #28 | #53 | #23 | #110 |
| 2008 | #104 | #33 | #45 | #25 | #132 |
| 2009 | #92 | #40 | #34 | #26 | #112 |
| 2010 | #87 | #41 | #38 | #31 | #104 |
| 2011 | #78 | #43 | #53 | #33 | #85 |
| 2012 | #90 | #37 | #40 | #27 | #126 |
| 2013 | #102 | #35 | #59 | #33 | #114 |
| 2014 | #122 | #36 | #67 | #29 | #134 |
| 2015 | #144 | #45 | #94 | #31 | #170 |
| 2016 | #157 | #56 | #93 | #27 | #154 |
| 2017 | #166 | #55 | #86 | #32 | #199 |
| 2018 | #158 | #56 | #103 | #28 | #177 |
| 2019 | #161 | #56 | #103 | #18 | #234 |
| 2020 | #173 | #50 | #86 | #19 | #216 |
| 2021 | #186 | #64 | #109 | #19 | #184 |
| 2022 | #199 | #78 | #92 | #23 | #241 |
| 2023 | #209 | #77 | #69 | #22 | #234 |
| 2024 | #208 | #93 | #103 | #23 | #270 |
| 2025 | #196 | #102 | #82 | #20 | #299 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Molly
Names Similar to Molly
Nicknames for Molly
- Moll
- Mo
- Polly
- Mols
Famous People Named Molly
| Molly Ringwald | American actress |
| Molly Shannon | American comedian and actress |
| Molly Ephraim | American actress |
| Molly Parker | Canadian actress |
| Molly Quinn | American actress |
| Molly Malone | Legendary Irish figure |
| Molly Ivins | American political commentator |
| Molly Brown | American socialite and activist |
| Molly Kearney | Irish singer-songwriter |
| Molly Scott | Irish singer |
| Molly O'Malia | American model and singer |
| Molly Tarlov | American actress |
| Molly Sims | American model and actress |
| Molly Windsor | British actress |
| Molly McCook | American actress |
| Molly Johnson | Canadian jazz singer |
Characters Named Molly
| Molly Weasley | Harry Potter series |
| Molly Hooper | Sherlock Holmes series |
| Molly Grue | The Last Unicorn |
| Molly Carpenter | The Dresden Files |
| Molly Hayes | Marvel Comics character |
| Molly McIntire | American Girl series |
| Molly Shepard | Mass Effect video game series |
| Molly Gibson | Wives and Daughters |
| Molly Millions | Neuromancer |
| Molly Morgan | The Nightingale |
| Molly Solverson | Fargo TV series |
| Molly Brown | Titanic |
| Molly Aster | Peter and the Starcatcher |
| Molly Parker | Dead to Me TV series |
| Molly Strand | Castle Rock TV series |
| Molly Noggin | Hilda |
| Molly Wood | Molly of Denali |
| Molly Jensen | Molly's Game |