Total births
251,274
Girls' name · since 1880
Monica
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 251,274 babies named Monica, peaking in 1979. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #723
- among girls today
- 251,274
- born since 1880
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other girls
Monica currently ranks #723 among girls' names in America, with 251,274 babies recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Monica has been recorded 251,274 times among girls since 1880, currently ranked #723 nationally and more common than 96% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #723 among girls today
- 251,274 born since 1880
- 1970s peak decade
- 96% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Monica is currently the #723 girls' name in America, more common than 96% of girls - 251,274 born since 1880, peaking in the 1970s.
- #723
- among girls today
- 251,274
- born since 1880
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other girls
Monica vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#723
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 96% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Monica was born in this single decade.
1979
Single peak year
6,585 babies were named Monica in 1979 - its busiest year on record.
How Monica compares
251,274 Top 1% higher than 99% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Monica's all-time total is 658x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Monica | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 251,274 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 6,585 | 48 | 19,840 |
Monica's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Monica's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 94% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 6%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1883, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1979 peak of 6,585, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Monica at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
1979
Current rank
#723
Active since
1880
Monica popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1979)
- 6,585
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Monica popularity over time - boys
983 total births recorded since 1948 (Monica as boys' name)
Monica by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Monica's strongest decade.
61,680 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Monica births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 89
1880s
89 births
- 1890s 277
1890s
277 births
- 1900s 505
1900s
505 births
- 1910s 1,739
1910s
1,739 births
- 1920s 2,067
1920s
2,067 births
- 1930s 2,469
1930s
2,469 births
- 1940s 4,657
1940s
4,657 births
- 1950s 18,722
1950s
18,722 births
- 1960s
1960s
45,192 births
- 1970s
1970s
61,680 births
- 1980s
1980s
51,863 births
- 1990s
1990s
38,895 births
- 2000s 14,690
2000s
14,690 births
- 2010s 6,074
2010s
6,074 births
- 2020s 2,355
2020s
2,355 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 61,680 births (25% of all-time use).
How Monica compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Monica's total volume
Monica vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Monica by state
Where Monica concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 46,076 | 18.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 31,291 | 12.5% |
| #3 | New York | | 14,497 | 5.8% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 12,795 | 5.1% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 10,074 | 4.0% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 9,911 | 3.9% |
| #7 | Florida | | 8,587 | 3.4% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 8,576 | 3.4% |
California share of Monica's total US births 18.3%
Even split
46,076 of 251,274 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Monica appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Monica? ▼
Monica has been given to 251,274 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #723 as of the latest data. 6,585 babies were born in 1979, its single highest year.
When was Monica most popular? ▼
Monica was most popular in the 1970s decade with 61,680 total births. The single peak year was 1979.
Where is Monica most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Monica are California (46,076 births), Texas (31,291 births), New York (14,497 births).
How long has the name Monica been used? ▼
Records for Monica go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Monica? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Monique, Mona, Monika, Montana, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Monica's data
- Monica's decade-level peak was the 1970s (61,680 total births); usage has since declined to 2,355 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Monicas (46,076 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Monica
Nearby Names Like Monica
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Monica
Monique Girl
#2934 78,783 births
Mona Girl
#2204 45,787 births
Monika Girl
#8040 9,810 births
Montana Girl
#1057 8,815 births
Monserrat Girl
#1303 8,070 births
Compare Monica side by side: Monica vs Monique Monica vs Mona Monica vs Monika
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Monica
Kiana #722
26,694 births · Peak 1996
Azaria #724
7,603 births · Peak 2025
Kyra #721
38,285 births · Peak 2005
Bethany #725
100,902 births · Peak 1987
Aileen #720
37,637 births · Peak 2009
Kenna #726
13,536 births · Peak 2016
Coraline #719
6,786 births · Peak 2015
Rayna #727
13,386 births · Peak 2019
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Monica: #723 Girls' Name - 251,274 Births, Peak 1979." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/monica. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Monica draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.