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The short answer
Murphy is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Murchadha, itself derived from the given name Murchadh. As a given name, it has been borne by female characters on the American television series Murphy Brown (1988-1998) and the movie Interstellar (2014)." It ranked #397 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Murchadha, itself derived from the given name Murchadh. As a given name, it has been borne by female characters on the American television series Murphy Brown (1988-1998) and the movie Interstellar (2014). The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Murphy ranked #397 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #397 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Murphy in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Murphy mean?
Behind the Name does not give Murphy a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Murchadha, itself.
Is Murphy a popular name?
Murphy ranked #397 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Murphy a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Murphy appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine & feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Murphy — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
