How to say it
MOL · ly
ˈmɒl.i
Feminine
Molly
Beloved
What it means
Originally an Irish diminutive of Mary (Hebrew Miriam), now a standalone given name. Molly Bloom's soliloquy in Joyce's Ulysses ('yes I said yes I will Yes') is the literary anchor.
Molly started as an Irish (and English) diminutive of Mary, which traces to the Hebrew Miriam through Latin Maria. By the 19th century Molly was used as a standalone given name. James Joyce's Molly Bloom (Ulysses, 1922) is the deepest English-language literary anchor; her closing soliloquy ('yes I said yes I will Yes') is one of the most-quoted passages in modernist literature. Home Alone's Kevin's mom Kate had a brief reference 'Molly' too, but Joyce's Molly is the dominant. Molly Ringwald (the John Hughes-era actress) gives the name 80s-coded anchor. It's been in the US top 200 since the 1990s. Single short forms aren't common.
How to spell Molly
The standard spelling is Molly. Common variants include Mollie, but Molly is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #74 in 1991, currently #196 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Molly Bloom (Joyce's Ulysses), Molly Ringwald (John Hughes films), and Molly Weasley (Harry Potter) cover three different generations of cultural anchor.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Molly Bloom James Joyce's Ulysses (1922), the closing 'yes I said yes I will Yes' soliloquy
- Molly Ringwald American actress, Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club
- Molly Weasley Ron Weasley's mother in the Harry Potter series
Spelling variants
- Mollie
Names with the same feeling
See Molly from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Molly mean?
- Originally an Irish diminutive of Mary (Hebrew Miriam), now a standalone given name. Molly Bloom's soliloquy in Joyce's Ulysses ('yes I said yes I will Yes') is the literary anchor.
- What does Molly mean in Irish?
- In Irish, Molly means "Beloved." Molly started as an Irish (and English) diminutive of Mary, which traces to the Hebrew Miriam through Latin Maria. By the 19th century Molly was used as a standalone given name. James Joyce's Molly Bloom (Ulysses, 1922) is the deepest English-language literary anchor; her closing soliloquy ('yes I said yes I will Yes') is one of the most-quoted passages in modernist literature. Home Alone's Kevin's mom Kate had a brief reference 'Molly' too, but Joyce's Molly is the dominant. Molly Ringwald (the John Hughes-era actress) gives the name 80s-coded anchor. It's been in the US top 200 since the 1990s. Single short forms aren't common.
- Is Molly short for Mary?
- Yes. Molly is a short form of Mary, and it carries the same meaning, "Beloved." These days many parents use Molly as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Molly?
- Molly is pronounced ˈmɒl.i. Say it as MOL-ly, with the stress on the "mol" syllable.
- How do you spell Molly?
- The standard spelling is Molly. Common spelling variants include Mollie.
- Is Molly a boy or girl name?
- Molly is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Molly?
- Molly ranked #196 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.