Monroe Unisex

Popularity: #781 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: mun-ROE //mʌnˈroʊ//

Origin: Scottish; English

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

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Monroe has its roots in the Scottish Gaelic name "Murchadh," which means "sea warrior." This name evolved through various forms, including the Old Gaelic "Murchadh" and later anglicized as "Monroe." The name entered the English language primarily through the influence of Scottish surnames, particularly during the 17th century when Scottish clans began to migrate and settle in other regions, including North America. The surname Monroe is derived from a place name in Scotland, specifically from the town of Monro in the region of Ayrshire, which itself is believed to be derived from the Gaelic "Muinne Ruadh," meaning "red bog." This geographical connection highlights the name's deep ties to Scottish heritage and landscape.

Historically, the name Monroe gained prominence through notable figures such as James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, who served from 1817 to 1825. His presidency is often associated with the Monroe Doctrine, a significant policy statement that shaped American foreign relations in the 19th century.

The name also appears in various historical texts and documents, reflecting its usage among influential families and individuals throughout the centuries. Additionally, the name has been borne by several saints and notable figures in Scottish history, further embedding it within cultural narratives.

Culturally, Monroe carries connotations of strength and resilience, resonating with the warrior aspect of its etymological roots. The name has been embraced in various artistic and literary contexts, often symbolizing a connection to heritage and identity.

In terms of diminutive forms, "Mon" has occasionally been used as a familiar or affectionate variant, though it is less common. Overall, the name Monroe encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution, historical significance, and cultural resonance.

Famous people named Monroe

In this section, you will find notable people named Monroe. 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 Monroe who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Monroe 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.

Monroe Bearden is an artist best known for his collage works and contributions to the Harlem Renaissance.

Fictional characters named Monroe

The following list of fictional characters named Monroe 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.

Monroe is a fictional character from the TV series Grimm. He is a Wesen who runs a spice shop and serves as a valuable ally to the main character, Nick Burkhardt.

Sibling suggestions

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

MasonMilesMaxMalcolmMiloMarcus

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Monroe. 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.

MaverickMontgomeryMorrisonMosesMiloMaddoxMason

U.S. Historical Usage

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

Monroe has ranked as high as #782 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in Texas, New York, California, Mississippi, 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)

The name Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 815 157 658
2024 684 154 530
2023 715 141 574
2022 684 116 568
2021 776 189 587
2020 672 115 557
2019 623 113 510
2018 619 117 502
2017 561 133 428
2016 548 129 419
2015 538 142 396
2014 479 120 359
2013 467 111 356
2012 346 79 267
2011 186 43 143
2010 132 38 94
2009 103 42 61
2008 78 41 37
2007 79 41 38
2006 68 36 32
2005 62 38 24
2004 48 22 26
2003 41 28 13
2002 44 29 15
2001 42 33 9
2000 38 31 7
1999 37 30 7
1998 34 24 10
1997 41 32 9
1996 39 29 10
1995 45 45 0
1994 38 38 0
1993 32 32 0
1992 32 32 0
1991 35 35 0
1990 38 38 0
1989 35 35 0
1988 29 29 0
1987 31 31 0
1986 40 40 0
1985 41 41 0
1984 30 30 0
1983 49 49 0
1982 45 45 0
1981 48 48 0
1980 40 40 0
1979 51 51 0
1978 41 41 0
1977 55 55 0
1976 45 45 0
1975 44 44 0
1974 53 53 0
1973 62 62 0
1972 39 39 0
1971 74 74 0
1970 70 70 0
1969 69 69 0
1968 75 75 0
1967 70 70 0
1966 70 70 0
1965 68 68 0
1964 76 76 0
1963 88 88 0
1962 77 77 0
1961 86 86 0
1960 74 74 0
1959 96 96 0
1958 93 93 0
1957 128 128 0
1956 123 123 0
1955 136 136 0
1954 113 113 0
1953 149 149 0
1952 170 170 0
1951 151 145 6
1950 125 125 0
1949 167 167 0
1948 189 189 0
1947 206 206 0
1946 186 186 0
1945 154 154 0
1944 185 185 0
1943 206 206 0
1942 189 189 0
1941 183 183 0
1940 197 197 0
1939 191 191 0
1938 210 204 6
1937 194 194 0
1936 223 223 0
1935 210 210 0
1934 213 213 0
1933 219 219 0
1932 200 200 0
1931 248 248 0
1930 261 261 0
1929 274 274 0
1928 288 280 8
1927 302 302 0
1926 320 320 0
1925 303 303 0
1924 293 293 0
1923 334 334 0
1922 354 354 0
1921 375 375 0
1920 359 359 0
1919 339 339 0
1918 362 362 0
1917 334 334 0
1916 300 300 0
1915 310 310 0
1914 251 251 0
1913 210 210 0
1912 175 175 0
1911 91 91 0
1910 78 78 0
1909 75 75 0
1908 81 81 0
1907 72 72 0
1906 72 72 0
1905 79 79 0
1904 64 64 0
1903 67 67 0
1902 59 59 0
1901 62 62 0
1900 89 89 0
1899 44 44 0
1898 58 58 0
1897 58 58 0
1896 63 63 0
1895 63 63 0
1894 58 58 0
1893 63 63 0
1892 58 58 0
1891 47 47 0
1890 53 53 0
1889 68 68 0
1888 74 74 0
1887 56 56 0
1886 73 73 0
1885 54 54 0
1884 56 56 0
1883 46 46 0
1882 76 76 0
1881 58 58 0
1880 53 53 0

Top States for Monroe (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 58
10%
TX 43
7%
OH 42
7%
UT 39
7%
FL 29
5%
NC 28
5%
AZ 24
4%
PA 24
4%
IN 23
4%
MI 22
4%
IL 21
4%
MN 20
3%
NY 18
3%
MO 16
3%
VA 16
3%
WI 16
3%
WA 14
2%
TN 13
2%
NE 13
2%
GA 12
2%
LA 10
2%
IA 10
2%
OK 10
2%
KS 10
2%
CO 9
2%
WV 7
1%
MA 7
1%
ID 7
1%
AL 7
1%
AR 6
1%
KY 6
1%
MD 5
1%