Murphy

Murphy - A very unique male name

Murphy appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #587. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Murphy and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Murphy? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Murphy. The baby boy name Murphy was given to 307 baby boys in 2025, ranking #739 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 4,776 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Murphy peaked in popularity 115 years ago in 1911 on position 541.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Murphy, 1-5?

Murphy is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Murphy is currently topping the baby name charts in Arkansas at position #345 - and is the least popular in Florida at position #1,321.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Murphy is where you live.

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Murphy origin and meaning

Irish, transferred surname

From the Irish surname Ó Murchadha, 'descendant of Murchadh' — Murchadh means 'sea warrior' (muir, 'sea', + cath, 'battle')

Murphy, Ireland's most common surname, has a long, tiny history as a boy's first name in the U.S. since 1910. It is rising now with surname names, reaching its peak in 2025.

Attested etymology

Murphy is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Murphy, pop culture references for the name Murphy and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Murphy

We've found the following names that sound similar to Murphy, sorted by popularity.

Marv /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Murphy

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Murphy a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Murphy?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

MUR-fee · /ˈmɜːrfiː/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Murph

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Surname

Why parents choose it

Murphy suits parents wanting an unmistakably Irish surname name with a friendly, roguish sound.

Worth knowing

• Murphy's Law ('anything that can go wrong will') is a universal association
• Also a very common dog's name, which some families mind