US Name Trends

Monica

Uncertain, and possibly North African rather than Latin; borne by Augustine’s mother.

1979peak year
No. 39best rank (1977)
252,257babies since 1880
No. 736rank in 2025

Popularity, 1880–2025

Babies named Monica per year — peak 6,585▬ girls ▬ boys18801900192019401960198020002020

Monica appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1964 to 1997. Its biggest year was 1979, when 6,585 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 40 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1977, at No. 39. In 2025 it ranked No. 736 for girls. All told, 252,257 Americans have been given the name since 1880.

Related names

Other spellings on record: Monika (9,810) (total births since 1880)

Other names that share a story: Monique

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By the decade

DecadeBirthsBest rank
1880s89No. 539
1890s277No. 481
1900s505No. 438
1910s1,739No. 371
1920s2,067No. 434
1930s2,469No. 352
1940s4,657No. 262
1950s18,722No. 151
1960s45,192No. 59
1970s61,680No. 39
1980s51,863No. 45
1990s38,895No. 76
2000s14,690No. 167
2010s6,074No. 361
2020s2,355No. 695

Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.

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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.