Given name & surname · also Latin
Montana
Montana is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “woman of the mountains; from the state of Montana” (Latin) and “from the mountainous region; from the state of Montana” (Spanish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original SpanishMontaña
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “woman of the mountains; from the state of Montana” (Latin) and “from the mountainous region; from the state of Montana” (Spanish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Latin and Spanish naming traditions.
How it developed
In Latin usage, Montana is a feminine form of Montanus.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1910. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Montana through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 12,855
- 4,040 boys · 8,815 girls
- Most popular year
- 1998
- 678 babies
- 2025
- 356
- #1,033 for girls · #1,525 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +45%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 39% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 242 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,033 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 63.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 496 in 1998. It also appeared in 114 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Ohio and Pennsylvania and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (18 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,613 as a first name in 2020; 4,380 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.
Montana’s family of names
In Latin usage, Montana is a feminine form of Montanus. Montana has a related form in Montanna. Montana has a related form in Montina.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 5
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 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Montana
- Montana JordanAmerican actorborn 2003
- Uche MontanaNigerian actressborn 1994
- Montana Coxfashion modelborn 1993
- Montana De La RosaAmerican mixed martial arts fighterborn 1995
- Montana TaylorAmerican musician1903–1954
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Montana, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Dakota
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44% boys · 56% girls
Chandler
“a candlemaker” · “one who makes candles”
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Indiana
Indiana is used as a given name. One English interpretation is “from the land of the Indians; from the state of Indiana.”
43% boys · 57% girls
Courtney
“a courteous woman; courtly” · “a courteous man; courtly”
26% boys · 74% girls
Devine
“resembling an ox” · “of the divine”
50% boys · 50% girls
Tennessee
“from the state of Tennessee”
41% boys · 59% girls
Merritt
“from the boundary's gate” · “one who deserves good fortune”
34% boys · 66% girls
Denver
“from the green valley”
62% boys · 38% girls