Monroe

Meaning: Man from the River Roe; or foot of a hill
Origin: Old English/Scottish Gaelic — The foot of a hill interpretation comes through Gaelic

Boy's name · #1262 in the US (2025) · Timeless

21% boys · 79% girls — For most of its history Monroe was mostly a boys' name; since around 2010 most babies named Monroe have been girls. Monroe →

Popularity over time

Monroe holds its lane: charted since 1880 and rarely far from where it stands today (#1262 in 2025). About 17,000 boys have carried it along the way.

Across the states

See where Monroe is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 19 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Monroe ranks in other countries and regions.

#1,216 in England & Wales (2025) · #3,096 in Canada (2024).

Famous Monroes

Monroe Beardsley — American philosopher
Monroe Salisbury — American actor (1876–1935)
Monroe Owsley — American actor (1900–1937)
Monroe Hayward — Union Army soldier, lawyer, politician (1840–1899)
Monroe H. Rosenfeld — American journalist and composer (1861–1918)

As a surname

It is also an American family name — about 55,000 people carried it as a surname in the 2010 census.

Marilyn Monroe — American actress and model (1926–1962)
James Monroe — President of the United States from 1817 to 1825 (1758–1831)
Elizabeth Monroe — First Lady of the United States from 1817 to 1825

In stories & tradition

Monroe Flem — Turtlemaniac (TV episode)

What Monroes become

Among 90 notable people named Monroe:

Lawyers & judges appear 2.93× more often than among typical names — e.g. Monroe Hayward, American politician (1840–1899).

Similar names: Orrin · Monty · Roscoe · Raleigh · Everette · Clyde

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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