Total births
8,486
Unisex name · since 1881
Murphy
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 8,486 babies named Murphy, peaking in 2025. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #813
- among boys today
- 8,486
- born since 1881
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 94%
- more common than other boys
8,486 babies have been named Murphy since 1881, making it today's #813 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Murphy has been recorded 8,486 times among boys since 1881, currently ranked #813 nationally and more common than 94% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2020s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #813 among boys today
- 8,486 born since 1881
- 2020s peak decade
- 94% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Murphy is currently the #813 unisex name in America, more common than 94% of boys - 8,486 born since 1881, peaking in the 2020s.
- #813
- among boys today
- 8,486
- born since 1881
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 94%
- more common than other boys
Murphy vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#813
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 94% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Murphy was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
341 babies were named Murphy in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Murphy compares
8,486 Top 9% higher than 91% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Murphy's all-time total is 23x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Murphy | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 8,486 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 341 | 23 | 22,252 |
Murphy's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Murphy splits its recorded history at 1956: 64% of all births land in the more recent half, 36% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1885 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2025 peak of 341 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Murphy at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2025
Current rank
#813
Active since
1881
Murphy popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 341
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Murphy popularity over time - girls
4,688 total births recorded since 1898 (Murphy as girls' name)
Murphy by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Murphy's strongest decade.
1,613 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Murphy births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 30
1880s
30 births
- 1890s 86
1890s
86 births
- 1900s 152
1900s
152 births
- 1910s 487
1910s
487 births
- 1920s
1920s
728 births
- 1930s 604
1930s
604 births
- 1940s 570
1940s
570 births
- 1950s 597
1950s
597 births
- 1960s 393
1960s
393 births
- 1970s 354
1970s
354 births
- 1980s 333
1980s
333 births
- 1990s 532
1990s
532 births
- 2000s
2000s
676 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,331 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,613 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 1,613 births (19% of all-time use).
How Murphy compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Murphy's total volume
Murphy vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Murphy by state
Where Murphy concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 1,481 | 17.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 448 | 5.3% |
| #3 | California | | 281 | 3.3% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 231 | 2.7% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 142 | 1.7% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 134 | 1.6% |
| #7 | Mississippi | | 130 | 1.5% |
| #8 | Alabama | | 124 | 1.5% |
Louisiana share of Murphy's total US births 17.5%
Even split
1,481 of 8,486 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Murphy appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Murphy? ▼
8,486 babies have been named Murphy since 1881. It currently ranks #813 among boys. The peak year was 2025 with 341 births.
When was Murphy most popular? ▼
Murphy was most popular in the 2020s decade with 1,613 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Murphy most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Murphy are Louisiana (1,481 births), Texas (448 births), California (281 births).
Is Murphy a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Murphy is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 8,486 births, and as a girl's name it has 4,688 births.
How long has the name Murphy been used? ▼
Records for Murphy go back to 1881, giving 145 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Murphy? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Murray, Murry, Murl, Murad, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Murphy's data
- Louisiana records the most Murphys (1,481 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana 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 Murphy
Nearby Names Like Murphy
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Murphy
Murray Boy
#2716 21,908 births
Murry Boy
3,085 births
Murl Boy
1,941 births
Murad Boy
#2979 1,133 births
Murrell Boy
1,098 births
Compare Murphy side by side: Murphy vs Murray Murphy vs Murry Murphy vs Murl
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Murphy
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, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Murphy: #813 Unisex Name - 8,486 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/murphy. 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 Murphy 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.