Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1990

Monika

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #6,478

A less common spelling of Monica, used since the twentieth century.

Rank 2025
#6,478
among girls · ↑1,810 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
18
named Monika
How common
1 in 89,293
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1990
257 babies
All-time total
9,810
#1,695 all-time among girls
First recorded
1942
in Social Security records

Monika popularity over time

9,810 babies have been named Monika since 1942, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.050.10.150.218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1996Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s 30 3 – #2,594
1950s 374 37 +1147% #1,188
1960s 1,337 134 +257% #780
1970s 1,866 187 +40% #707
1980s 2,162 216 +16% #716
1990s 2,280 228 +5% #785
2000s 1,128 113 -51% #1,286
2010s 481 48 -57% #2,579
2020s (to 2025) 152 25 -47% #4,102

The story of Monika

Monika is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,478 in 2025 with 18 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1942, 9,810 American babies have been named Monika. Its peak came in 1990, when 257 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Monika stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Monika?

The median living Monika is about 39 years old; half are between 29 and 51. An estimated 9,400 people named Monika are alive in the United States today.

median 39 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Monika year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 18 #6,478
2024 13 #8,288
2023 36 #4,102
2022 28 #4,867
2021 24 #5,357
2020 33 #4,238
2019 29 #4,740
2018 33 #4,315
2017 43 #3,608
2016 45 #3,505
2015 47 #3,421
2014 49 #3,307
2013 57 #2,964
2012 44 #3,629
2011 63 #2,789
2010 71 #2,579
2009 79 #2,441
2008 99 #2,070
2007 107 #1,935
2006 117 #1,785
2005 107 #1,830
2004 116 #1,678
2003 99 #1,869
2002 123 #1,544
2001 130 #1,456
2000 151 #1,286
1995 238 #827
1990 257 #785
1985 172 #922
1980 213 #775
1975 161 #838
1970 153 #873
1965 126 #897
1960 102 #1,066
1955 35 #1,791
1950 8 #4,215
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Monika

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Monika Linkytė Monika Linkytė Lithuanian singer-songwriter (born 1992) Contemporary
  2. 2 Monika Brodka Monika Brodka Polish singer b. 1987 · Contemporary
  3. 3 Monika Kuszyńska Monika Kuszyńska Polish singer and songwriter (born 1980) Contemporary
  4. 4 Monika Soćko Monika Soćko Polish chess grandmaster (born 1978) Contemporary
  5. 5 Monika Maron Monika Maron German writer b. 1941 · Contemporary
  6. 6 Monika Pyrek Monika Pyrek Polish pole vaulter b. 1980 · Contemporary
  7. 7 Monika Zehrt Monika Zehrt East German sprinter b. 1952 · Contemporary
  8. 8 Monika Michalik Monika Michalik Polish freestyle wrestler b. 1980 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Monika, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Monika?

The median living Monika is about 39 years old. Half of all living Monikas are between 29 and 51 years old.

How many people named Monika are alive today?

An estimated 9,400 people named Monika are alive in the United States, based on 9,810 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Monika mean?

A less common spelling of Monica, used since the twentieth century.

How popular is the name Monika in 2025?

Monika ranked #6,478 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 18 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Monika?

9,810 babies have been named Monika in the United States since 1942, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Monika most popular?

Monika peaked in 1990, when 257 newborns received the name.

Is Monika a boy or girl name?

Monika is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Monika rising or falling?

Monika is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Monika?

Well-known people named Monika include Monika Linkytė (singer), Monika Brodka (singer), Monika Kuszyńska (singer).

Names like Monika

Names that sound and feel close to Monika: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Monika with similar names → More names starting with M →