Molly
Say it: MOL-ee/ˈmɒ.li/
GirlMeans a pet form of Mary5 letters2 syllables
#20
in Ireland (2025)
169
babies in 2025
#18
best rank (2019)
5,748
babies since 1989
Up 11
10-year rank change
Molly through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 169 | #20 |
| 2024 | 171 | #23 |
| 2023 | 176 | #22 |
| 2022 | 195 | #23 |
| 2021 | 219 | #19 |
| 2020 | 217 | #19 |
| 2019 | 218 | #18 |
| 2018 | 186 | #28 |
| 2017 | 185 | #32 |
| 2016 | 210 | #27 |
| 2015 | 202 | #31 |
| 2014 | 196 | #29 |
| 2013 | 197 | #33 |
| 2012 | 251 | #27 |
| 2011 | 229 | #33 |
| 2010 | 243 | #31 |
| 2009 | 268 | #26 |
| 2008 | 268 | #25 |
| 2007 | 281 | #23 |
| 2006 | 235 | #25 |
| 2005 | 261 | #25 |
| 2004 | 206 | #31 |
| 2003 | 163 | #37 |
| 2002 | 179 | #33 |
| 2001 | 172 | #31 |
| 2000 | 105 | #43 |
| 1999 | 74 | #63 |
| 1998 | 42 | #87 |
| 1997 | 67 | #80 |
| 1996 | 37 | #137 |
| 1995 | 43 | #119 |
| 1994 | 22 | #187 |
| 1993 | 21 | #193 |
| 1992 | 23 | #188 |
| 1991 | 12 | #273 |
| 1989 | 5 | #408 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Molly mean?
A pet form of Mary
English, from Moll, an old pet form of Mary, with the ending -y.
Say it right
MOLee
The story of Molly
Molly started out as a pet form of Mary. Medieval English pet names often swapped an “r” for an “l”, so Mary became Mally and Molly, much as Sarah became Sally. It has also been used for Margaret and Martha. The meaning of Mary itself is disputed, with no single explanation agreed. The Irish form of Molly is Mallaidh.
In Ireland the name belongs above all to Molly Malone, the fishmonger of the song “Molly Malone”, also known as “Cockles and Mussels”. Her statue stands in Dublin city centre, though whether she was ever a real person is not known.
Molly first appears in the CSO records in 1989. It climbed fast through the 1990s, and 281 girls were named Molly in 2007, its busiest year. Its best rank was number 18 in 2019. In 2025 it was number 20. It has been less common in Northern Ireland, where its best rank was 18th, in 2007. The CSO counts Molly and Mollie as separate names.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Molly (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Molly (name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland, full name list 1997-2025
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Molly | 169 | 5,748 |
In Northern Ireland
#32 in 2025 with 49 babies. Best rank #18 (2007); 2,429 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.