Given name & surname · also Celtic
Murphy
“daughter of a great sea warrior”·“a warrior of the sea”
Murphy is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “daughter of a great sea warrior” (Celtic) and “a warrior of the sea”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “daughter of a great sea warrior” (Celtic) and “a warrior of the sea”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Celtic.
How it developed
From Irish Ó Murchadha (“descendant of Murrough”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1881. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Murphy through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 13,174
- 8,486 boys · 4,688 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 1,124 babies
- 2025
- 1,124
- #397 for girls · #754 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +142%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 38% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 783 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 397 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 234.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 341 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (66). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 6,019 as a first name in 2020; 298,047 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.
Murphy’s family of names
In English usage, Murphy has a diminutive in Murph. Murphy has a related form in Murf. Murphy has a related form in Murfea.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Murphievariant
- Murpheevariant
- Murphivariant
- Murpheyvariant
- Morphisvariant · English
- Murphdiminutive · English
- Murfvariant
- Murfievariant
Show 6 moreShow fewer
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Murphy
- Murphy JensenUS tennis playerborn 1968
- Murphy TroyUS volleyball playerborn 1989
- Murphy PakiamCatholic archbishopborn 1938
- Murphy J. FosterAmerican politician and entrepreneur (1849-1921)
- Murphy LeeAmerican rapperborn 1978
- Murphy AndersonComic artist (1926–2015)
- Murphy GuyerAmerican actor and writerborn 1952
- Murphy Su'aNew Zealand cricketerborn 1966
- Murphy WireduCanadian footballerborn 1985
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Murphy, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Monroe
“woman from the river” · “from the mouth of the river Roe”
20% boys · 80% girls
Leighton
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26% boys · 74% girls
Campbell
“having a crooked mouth”
46% boys · 54% girls
Oakley
“from the field of oak trees” · “from the meadow of oak trees”
35% boys · 65% girls
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“wise one; type of spice”
32% boys · 68% girls
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“of the mighty people”
46% boys · 54% girls
Bowie
“a blonde-haired man”
62% boys · 38% girls
Finley
“a fair-haired hero”
46% boys · 54% girls