Given name & surname · also Spanish
Molina
Molina is a surname from Spanish, ultimately from Latin. It is used in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ilocano.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Molina comes from Spanish, and ultimately from Latin.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1971. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Molina through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 228
- 0 boys · 228 girls
- Most popular year
- 1971
- 21 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #14,373 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −33%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 14,373 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for girls was 21 in 1971. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 511 as a first name in 2020; 97,649 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Molina’s family of names
In Spanish usage, Molina as a surname has a conventional equivalent in the English form Miller. In Greek usage, Molina as a surname is a transliteration of Μολίνα.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Molina, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Melinda
“one who is sweet and gentle”
>99% girls
Martina
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% girls
Salina
“one of a solemn, dignified character”
>99% girls
Marcy
“dedicated to Mars, the god of war”
>99% girls
Monique
“one who provides wise counsel”
>99% girls
Monica
“a solitary woman” · “one who advises others”
>99% girls
Michaelle
Michaelle is a feminine given name from Latin. It is used in French.
>99% girls
Gina
“God is gracious” · “queen”
>99% girls