Total births
136,486
Girls' name · since 1880
Myrtle
Myrtle has 136,486 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1918 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 136,486
- total births
- 1880–2025
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 24%
- born in that decade
Myrtle is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 136,486 have been recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Myrtle has been recorded 136,486 times among girls since 1880, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1910s. 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.
- 136,486 total births
- 1880–2025 years on record
- 1910s peak decade
- 24% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
136,486 girls have been named Myrtle since 1880, peaking in the 1910s, last recorded in 2025.
- 136,486
- total births
- 1880–2025
- years on record
- 1910s
- peak decade
- 24%
- born in that decade
1910s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Myrtle was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
4,076 babies were named Myrtle in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
Myrtle's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Myrtle's SSA record in two at 1943 and the more recent half accounts for 7% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 93%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2013, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1918 peak of 4,076, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Myrtle at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1918
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Myrtle popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1918)
- 4,076
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Myrtle popularity over time - boys
498 total births recorded since 1880 (Myrtle as boys' name)
Myrtle by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1910s was Myrtle's strongest decade.
32,432 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Myrtle births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 9,769
1880s
9,769 births
- 1890s
1890s
17,717 births
- 1900s
1900s
19,691 births
- 1910s
1910s
32,432 births
- 1920s
1920s
30,569 births
- 1930s
1930s
14,134 births
- 1940s 7,274
1940s
7,274 births
- 1950s 3,106
1950s
3,106 births
- 1960s 1,166
1960s
1,166 births
- 1970s 356
1970s
356 births
- 1980s 153
1980s
153 births
- 1990s 62
1990s
62 births
- 2000s 6
2000s
6 births
- 2010s 31
2010s
31 births
- 2020s 20
2020s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1910s at 32,432 births (24% of all-time use).
How Myrtle 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 Myrtle's total volume
Myrtle vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Myrtle by state
Where Myrtle concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 6,418 | 4.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 5,846 | 4.3% |
| #3 | Kentucky | | 4,634 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 4,306 | 3.2% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 4,117 | 3.0% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 3,876 | 2.8% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 3,787 | 2.8% |
| #8 | Louisiana | | 3,535 | 2.6% |
North Carolina share of Myrtle's total US births 4.7%
Even split
6,418 of 136,486 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 50 reporting states.
Myrtle appears in 50 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Myrtle? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 136,486 babies named Myrtle. The most recent recorded year was 2025. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 4,076 births.
When was Myrtle most popular? ▼
Myrtle was most popular in the 1910s decade with 32,432 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Myrtle most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Myrtle are North Carolina (6,418 births), Texas (5,846 births), Kentucky (4,634 births).
How long has the name Myrtle been used? ▼
Records for Myrtle go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Myrtle? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Myra, Myrna, Myrtis, Myranda, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Myrtle's data
- Myrtle's decade-level peak was the 1910s (32,432 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Myrtles (6,418 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Myrtle
Nearby Names Like Myrtle
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Myrtle
Myra Girl
#646 63,916 births
Myrna Girl
#11141 31,700 births
Myrtis Girl
6,121 births
Myranda Girl
4,650 births
Myrtie Girl
4,401 births
Compare Myrtle side by side: Myrtle vs Myra Myrtle vs Myrna Myrtle vs Myrtis
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Kristina #1736
136,765 births · Peak 1985
Melinda #2099
135,822 births · Peak 1970
Jordan #537
135,599 births · Peak 1997
Gabriella #106
137,636 births · Peak 2010
Deanna #2306
134,477 births · Peak 1970
Sophie #60
138,577 births · Peak 2011
Gabrielle #577
138,782 births · Peak 1998
Katelyn #927
134,049 births · Peak 1993
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. "Myrtle: Baby Name Since 1880 - 136,486 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/myrtle. 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 Myrtle 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.