Name Detail
Molly is a diminutive of the feminine name Mary that, like other English hypocorisms in use since the Middle Ages, substituted l for r. Molly evolved from the English diminutive Mally. English surnames such as Moll, Mollett, and Mollison are derived from Molly. Molly has also been used as a diminutive of Margaret and Martha since the 1700s and as an independent name since at least 1720. The name was more popular in the United States than elsewhere in the Anglosphere in the 1800s due to usage by Irish-American families and by Jewish American families who used Molly as an English version of Hebrew names such as Miriam and Malka. Its popularity with Americans was also influenced by stories about Molly Pitcher, a heroine of the American Revolutionary War.
Molly is a diminutive of the feminine name Mary that, like other English hypocorisms in use since th
A girl name with 2 syllables. Currently considered rare.
Explore how the popularity of Molly has changed over the last two decades.
Molly is an English diminutive of the given name Mary. Its popularity surged in the 1980s, partly due to the iconic role of Molly Ringwald in films like 'The Breakfast Club' and 'Sixteen Candles'. The name has a cheerful and friendly connotation, often associated with a down-to-earth and approachable personality.
Molly Ringwald, Molly Sims, Molly Shannon, Molly Ivins, Molly Pitcher
Moll, Polly
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