Monica Girl

Popularity: #590 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MON-ih-kuh /ˈmɒnɪkə/

Origin: Latin; Greek

Meaning: Latin: advisor; Greek: to be alone

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Monica has its roots in the Latin name "Monica," which is believed to derive from the North African Berber word "munika," meaning "advisor" or "counselor." The name was popularized in the Christian tradition through Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, who lived in the 4th century. Her life and piety were documented by Augustine in his autobiographical work, "Confessions," which contributed to the name's enduring presence in Christian communities.

The Latin form "Monica" was adopted into various languages, including Old French, before making its way into English by the late Middle Ages. Saint Monica's significance in Christian history is marked by her unwavering faith and dedication to her son, Augustine, who initially led a wayward life before converting to Christianity.

Her feast day is celebrated on May 4, and she is often invoked by those seeking the conversion of loved ones. The name Monica thus carries connotations of maternal devotion and spiritual perseverance, resonating deeply within Christian traditions.

Throughout the centuries, the name has been associated with various notable figures, including several saints and scholars. In the medieval period, it became more widely used in Europe, particularly among Christians who admired Saint Monica's virtues.

The name's cultural resonance is further enhanced by its appearances in literature and art, where it symbolizes fidelity and the strength of maternal love. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Moni" or "Monnie" have emerged in various cultures, reflecting the name's adaptability while retaining its original essence.

Famous people named Monica

In this section, you will find notable people named Monica. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Monica who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Monica who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Monica Bellucci is an actress and model best known for Malèna, The Matrix Reloaded, and Spectre.

Monica Lewinsky is a public speaker and activist best known for her involvement in the Clinton scandal.

Monica Seles is a former professional tennis player best known for winning nine Grand Slam singles titles.

Monica Potter is an actress best known for Parenthood, Along Came a Spider, and Saw.

Fictional characters named Monica

The following list of fictional characters named Monica is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Monica Geller is a fictional character from the TV show Friends. She is a chef known for her obsessive cleanliness and competitive nature.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Monica, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

LauraJuliaSophieClaraEmmaNina

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Monica. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MonaToniNinaLunaMiraMinaMalia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Monica was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Monica has ranked as high as #90 nationally, which occurred in 1979, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Monica has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Monica is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Monica was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Monica.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 371 0 371
2024 390 0 390
2023 386 0 386
2022 389 0 389
2021 415 0 415
2020 404 0 404
2019 459 0 459
2018 498 0 498
2017 473 0 473
2016 522 0 522
2015 557 0 557
2014 577 0 577
2013 597 0 597
2012 724 0 724
2011 780 0 780
2010 887 0 887
2009 972 0 972
2008 1,064 0 1,064
2007 1,192 0 1,192
2006 1,363 0 1,363
2005 1,409 0 1,409
2004 1,521 9 1,512
2003 1,613 0 1,613
2002 1,778 0 1,778
2001 1,802 6 1,796
2000 1,991 0 1,991
1999 2,134 0 2,134
1998 3,243 13 3,230
1997 4,232 9 4,223
1996 4,343 17 4,326
1995 3,982 12 3,970
1994 3,933 21 3,912
1993 3,925 24 3,901
1992 4,614 24 4,590
1991 4,182 26 4,156
1990 4,472 19 4,453
1989 4,538 36 4,502
1988 4,489 26 4,463
1987 4,842 33 4,809
1986 5,050 37 5,013
1985 5,018 28 4,990
1984 5,157 26 5,131
1983 5,441 36 5,405
1982 5,773 39 5,734
1981 5,813 31 5,782
1980 6,077 43 6,034
1979 6,619 34 6,585
1978 5,898 31 5,867
1977 6,398 32 6,366
1976 6,012 34 5,978
1975 5,509 33 5,476
1974 6,311 30 6,281
1973 6,422 42 6,380
1972 6,159 26 6,133
1971 6,456 30 6,426
1970 6,221 33 6,188
1969 6,058 26 6,032
1968 5,229 8 5,221
1967 4,974 8 4,966
1966 4,734 12 4,722
1965 5,128 15 5,113
1964 4,669 14 4,655
1963 4,004 10 3,994
1962 4,021 11 4,010
1961 3,403 12 3,391
1960 3,096 8 3,088
1959 2,601 7 2,594
1958 2,421 7 2,414
1957 2,491 0 2,491
1956 2,162 0 2,162
1955 1,817 0 1,817
1954 1,823 0 1,823
1953 1,600 0 1,600
1952 1,464 0 1,464
1951 1,298 0 1,298
1950 1,059 0 1,059
1949 826 0 826
1948 852 5 847
1947 615 0 615
1946 457 0 457
1945 400 0 400
1944 342 0 342
1943 299 0 299
1942 325 0 325
1941 261 0 261
1940 285 0 285
1939 256 0 256
1938 269 0 269
1937 292 0 292
1936 273 0 273
1935 332 0 332
1934 259 0 259
1933 213 0 213
1932 215 0 215
1931 192 0 192
1930 168 0 168
1929 182 0 182
1928 218 0 218
1927 189 0 189
1926 190 0 190
1925 198 0 198
1924 223 0 223
1923 199 0 199
1922 206 0 206
1921 247 0 247
1920 215 0 215
1919 178 0 178
1918 223 0 223
1917 252 0 252
1916 278 0 278
1915 196 0 196
1914 156 0 156
1913 164 0 164
1912 130 0 130
1911 83 0 83
1910 79 0 79
1909 71 0 71
1908 62 0 62
1907 61 0 61
1906 52 0 52
1905 53 0 53
1904 54 0 54
1903 36 0 36
1902 33 0 33
1901 44 0 44
1900 39 0 39
1899 30 0 30
1898 41 0 41
1897 34 0 34
1896 36 0 36
1895 20 0 20
1894 22 0 22
1893 25 0 25
1892 27 0 27
1891 25 0 25
1890 17 0 17
1889 14 0 14
1888 13 0 13
1887 13 0 13
1886 10 0 10
1885 10 0 10
1884 8 0 8
1883 5 0 5
1881 10 0 10
1880 6 0 6

Top States for Monica (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 48
14%
TX 45
13%
FL 27
8%
IL 18
5%
OH 15
4%
NC 15
4%
WA 14
4%
PA 14
4%
NY 13
4%
WI 13
4%
GA 12
3%
VA 10
3%
AZ 10
3%
OK 10
3%
IN 9
3%
TN 9
3%
SC 8
2%
NJ 7
2%
MI 7
2%
KS 6
2%
MN 6
2%
MO 6
2%
ID 5
1%
NE 5
1%
UT 5
1%
KY 5
1%
CO 5
1%