girl's name
Polly
POL-ee
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 36,219
Northern Ireland
#197
2023 births
Polly is a girl's name of Hebrew origin, a pet form of Mary whose meaning has never been settled. The p comes from a medieval habit of swapping consonants — Molly became Polly the way Meg became Peg.
- Polly is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1964, when 688 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 41,967 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Polly over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 476 |
| 1890s | 661 |
| 1900s | 753 |
| 1910s | 1,924 |
| 1920s | 3,332 |
| 1930s | 3,875 |
| 1940s | 4,301 |
| 1950s | 5,068 |
| 1960s | 5,030 |
| 1970s | 1,967 |
| 1980s | 689 |
| 1990s | 425 |
| 2000s | 322 |
| 2010s | 468 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 417 |
What Polly means
Polly inherits Mary's unresolved meaning: bitter, beloved and wished-for child are all argued and none is settled. The name itself adds nothing but two further layers of English familiarity on top of an already worn-down form.
Where Polly comes from
Polly comes from Molly, which comes from Mary, which comes from the Hebrew Miryam. Each step is a medieval English sound change: Mary to Mally by swapping r for l, Mally to Molly, then Molly to Polly by swapping m for p — the same substitution that turned Meg into Peg. Mary's own meaning has been argued for two thousand years. Polly is also the traditional name for a parrot, recorded from the seventeenth century, apparently because the name was common and the birds were taught to say it.
Polly in use
Our data marks Polly as reviving, peaking in 1964, at 204 in England and Wales against 2,302 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1880. That eleven-fold gap places it with Poppy, Primrose and Ottilie among names Britain has revived and America has not.
How popular is Polly?
In 2025, Polly was given to 79 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Polly is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Polly
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Polly also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Polly over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Polly in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Polly
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Polly — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Polly
What does the name Polly mean?
It inherits Mary's unsettled meaning — bitter, beloved and wished-for child are all argued.
How does Mary become Polly?
Mary to Mally to Molly to Polly, each a medieval English consonant swap — the same change that gave Peg from Meg.
Why are parrots called Polly?
Recorded from the seventeenth century, apparently because the name was common and the birds were taught to say it.
How popular is the name Polly?
In 2025, Polly was given to 79 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Polly a girl's or a boy's name?
Polly is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Polly?
Polly has 2 syllables.
When was Polly most popular?
Polly peaked in 1964, when 688 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Polly a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Polly currently ranks #204 in the United States. After peaking in the 1960s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.