Given name & surname · also Scottish
Monroe
“woman from the river”·“from the mouth of the river Roe”
Monroe is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “woman from the river” and “from the mouth of the river Roe”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “woman from the river” and “from the mouth of the river Roe”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scottish.
How it developed
From Old English mann (“human being, person, man”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Monroe through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 24,360
- 17,094 boys · 7,266 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 815 babies
- 2025
- 815
- #467 for girls · #1,262 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +22%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 20% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 658 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 467 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 20.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 157 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (56). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,580 as a first name in 2020; 53,483 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.
Monroe’s family of names
Monroe has a related form in Monro. Monroe has a related form in Monrow. Monroe has a related form in Monrowe.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Monroe has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
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 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Monroe
- MonroeFrench-American singer (born 2008)
- Monroe BeardsleyAmerican philosopher1915–1985
- Monroe Salisburyactor (1876-1935)
- Monroe OwsleyAmerican actor (1900-1937)
- Monroe HaywardUnion Army soldier, lawyer, politician (1840-1899)
- Monroe RosenfeldAmerican journalist and composer (1861–1918)
- Monroe HeathAmerican politician (1827-1894)
- Monroe AbbeyCanadian lawyer (1904–1993)
- Monroe H. KulpPennsylvania lumberman1858–1911
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Monroe, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Skye
“woman from the Isle of Skye” · “man from the Isle of Skye”
8% boys · 92% girls
Eolande
“resembling the violet flower”
>99% girls
Orinthia
“of the pine tree” · “a fair lady”
3% boys · 97% girls
Carberry
“tree”
—
Taine
“of the river”
28% boys · 72% girls
Florry
“a flourishing woman; a blooming flower”
>99% girls
Magnolia
“resembling the flowering tree”
>99% girls
Amhuinn
“from the alder-tree river”
>99% girls