Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1918

Myrtle

Meaning After the plant, myrtle Gender Girl Rank 2025 #11,611

After the plant, myrtle; used since the end of the 19th century.

Rank 2025
#11,611
among girls
Babies in 2025
8
named Myrtle
How common
1 in 200,908
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1918
4,094 babies
All-time total
136,984
#296 all-time among girls
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Myrtle popularity over time

136,984 babies have been named Myrtle since 1880, 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
2.557.51018801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s 9,769 41 9,810 981 – #33
1890s 17,717 69 17,786 1,779 +81% #27
1900s 19,691 64 19,755 1,976 +11% #28
1910s 32,432 117 32,549 3,255 +65% #43
1920s 30,569 102 30,671 3,067 -6% #68
1930s 14,134 90 14,224 1,422 -54% #123
1940s 7,274 15 7,289 729 -49% #184
1950s 3,106 – 3,106 311 -57% #376
1960s 1,166 – 1,166 117 -62% #768
1970s 356 – 356 36 -69% #1,634
1980s 153 – 153 15 -57% #3,184
1990s 62 – 62 6 -59% #9,104
2000s 6 – 6 1 -90% #15,839
2010s 31 – 31 3 +417% #8,952
2020s (to 2025) 20 – 20 3 +8% #11,611

The story of Myrtle

Myrtle is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #11,611 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 136,984 American babies have been named Myrtle. Its peak came in 1918, when 4,094 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Myrtle stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Myrtle?

The median living Myrtle is about 82 years old; half are between 73 and 88. An estimated 13 thousand people named Myrtle are alive in the United States today.

median 82 020406080100

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

Myrtle year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 8 #11,611 – –
2024 – – – –
2023 6 #14,634 – –
2022 6 #14,779 – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 12 #8,952 – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 5 #18,047 – –
2015 – – – –
2014 9 #11,657 – –
2013 5 #18,448 – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 6 #15,839 – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 9 #9,303 – –
1990 8 #9,860 – –
1985 10 #6,787 – –
1980 27 #3,184 – –
1975 41 #2,121 – –
1970 50 #1,795 – –
1965 117 #947 – –
1960 175 #772 – –
1955 316 #520 – –
1950 460 #376 – –
1945 621 #277 – –
1940 1,020 #184 5 #3,797
1935 1,312 #153 7 #3,163
1930 1,997 #123 15 #2,037
1925 2,980 #95 9 #3,071
1920 3,955 #68 8 #3,402
1915 3,865 #58 22 #1,493
1910 2,145 #43 7 #1,383
1905 2,026 #33 – –
1900 2,252 #32 – –
1895 1,938 #28 12 #633
1890 1,406 #34 5 #1,110
1885 1,026 #34 5 #1,043
1880 615 #40 5 #1,018

Famous people named Myrtle

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

  1. 1 Myrtle Cook Myrtle Cook Canadian sprinter and journalist (1902–1985) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Myrtle?

The median living Myrtle is about 82 years old. Half of all living Myrtles are between 73 and 88 years old.

How many people named Myrtle are alive today?

An estimated 13 thousand people named Myrtle are alive in the United States, based on 136,984 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Myrtle mean?

After the plant, myrtle; used since the end of the 19th century.

How popular is the name Myrtle in 2025?

Myrtle ranked #11,611 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Myrtle?

136,984 babies have been named Myrtle in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Myrtle most popular?

Myrtle peaked in 1918, when 4,094 newborns received the name.

Is Myrtle a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Myrtle rising or falling?

Myrtle has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Myrtle?

Well-known people named Myrtle include Myrtle Cook (politician).

Names like Myrtle

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

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