Murphy
Murphy is a boy's name of Celtic origin.
Meaning
Sea warrior or sea warrior's descendant.
Origin and history
Murphy is an Irish surname used as a given name, derived from the Gaelic Ó Murchadha meaning descendant of Murchadh. Historically a traditional surname, it has seen rising popularity in the United States as a given name for both boys and girls. Its usage reflects the modern trend of adopting classic Irish surnames for first names.
Popularity in the United States
8,486 babies in the United States have been named Murphy since 1880. It ranks #1314 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #822.
States where it is most popular
- LA (33.8 %)
- TX (10.2 %)
- CA (6.4 %)
- NC (5.3 %)
- GA (3.2 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 30 |
| 1890-1900 | 86 |
| 1900-1910 | 152 |
| 1910-1920 | 487 |
| 1920-1930 | 728 |
| 1930-1940 | 604 |
| 1940-1950 | 570 |
| 1950-1960 | 597 |
| 1960-1970 | 393 |
| 1970-1980 | 354 |
| 1980-1990 | 333 |
| 1990-2000 | 532 |
| 2000-2010 | 676 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,331 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,613 |
Famous people named Murphy
- Murphy Jensen: Tennis Player, Coach
Fun facts
- Derived from the elements 'murchadh', where 'mur' means sea and 'cadh' means warrior.
- Murphy is the most common surname in Ireland, making its transition to a given name globally recognized.