What does Monroe mean?

English: mouth of the Roe; Scottish: from the mouth of the river

Is Monroe a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Monroe is commonly used as a Unisex name.

How popular is Monroe?

It’s currently ranked #480 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

Monroe Unisex

Popularity: #771 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

Pronunciationmun-ROE / /mʌnˈroʊ/

Scottish; English

Meaning

Scottish: mouth of the river; English: from the mouth of the river

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Monroe has Scottish origins, derived from a place name meaning 'mouth of the river'. It became popular as a surname before transitioning into a given name. The name is associated with President James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, which contributed to its popularity in America. In modern times, it is often used as a first name for boys.

Trend Summary

Monroe has seen a gradual increase in popularity as a boy's name in the United States over the past few decades.

Variants

Monrow

International Variants

Monroe (English)

Famous people named Monroe

Monroe Beardsley was an influential American philosopher known for his work in aesthetics.

Monroe H. Freedman was a prominent American legal scholar and professor.

Monroe E. Price is a noted American media law scholar and professor.

Fictional characters named Monroe

Monroe is a character in the TV series 'Grimm', known for being a Wesen who helps the protagonist.

Monroe is a character in the animated series 'The Amazing World of Gumball', known for his quirky personality.

Sibling Suggestions

Mason Miles Max Malcolm Milo Marcus

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Monroe was first seen in the United States in 1880. Monroe has ranked as high as #553 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in Texas, Mississippi, New York, Alabama, and North Carolina. In the past 5 years the name Monroe has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Monroe (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
OH	15	16%
CA	10	11%
TX	10	11%
NC	9	9%
NY	8	8%
FL	8	8%
PA	7	7%
MO	6	6%
IN	6	6%
MN	6	6%
TN	5	5%
WA	5	5%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	53
1881	58
1882	76
1883	46
1884	56
1885	54
1886	73
1887	56
1888	74
1889	68
1890	53
1891	47
1892	58
1893	63
1894	58
1895	63
1896	63
1897	58
1898	58
1899	44
1900	89
1901	62
1902	59
1903	67
1904	64
1905	79
1906	72
1907	72
1908	81
1909	75
1910	78
1911	91
1912	175
1913	210
1914	251
1915	310
1916	300
1917	334
1918	362
1919	339
1920	359
1921	375
1922	354
1923	334
1924	293
1925	303
1926	320
1927	302
1928	280
1929	274
1930	261
1931	248
1932	200
1933	219
1934	213
1935	210
1936	223
1937	194
1938	204
1939	191
1940	197
1941	183
1942	188
1943	206
1944	185
1945	154
1946	186
1947	205
1948	190
1949	167
1950	125
1951	145
1952	170
1953	149
1954	113
1955	137
1956	124
1957	127
1958	93
1959	96
1960	74
1961	86
1962	77
1963	88
1964	76
1965	68
1966	70
1967	70
1968	75
1969	69
1970	70
1971	74
1972	39
1973	62
1974	53
1975	44
1976	45
1977	55
1978	41
1979	51
1980	40
1981	48
1982	45
1983	49
1984	30
1985	41
1986	40
1987	31
1988	29
1989	35
1990	38
1991	35
1992	32
1993	32
1994	38
1995	45
1996	29
1997	32
1998	24
1999	30
2000	31
2001	33
2002	29
2003	28
2004	22
2005	38
2006	36
2007	41
2008	40
2009	42
2010	38
2011	43
2012	79
2013	111
2014	119
2015	142
2016	129
2017	133
2018	117
2019	113
2020	115
2021	189
2022	115
2023	141
2024	153