Miriam
Girl name · #246 in 2025 · Uniqueness 46/100
Miriam ranks #246 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 1,262 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #293, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,426 girls born in 2025 was named Miriam.
Babies named Miriam per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Miriam first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 28 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 1,834 girls were named Miriam — good for #143 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Miriam against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Miriam in class?
Miriam scores 46 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Miriam is most common
Geography matters for names, and Miriam is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Miriams were NY (284), NJ (173), CA (80), TX (74), OH (54). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Miriam
Statistically, parents drawn to Miriam tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Maxine, Annie, Lena, Esther, and Edith.
MaxineAnnieLenaEstherEdithMargaretRuthCecelia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Miriam | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,262 | #246 |
| 2024 | 1,279 | #249 |
| 2023 | 1,246 | #249 |
| 2022 | 1,203 | #261 |
| 2021 | 1,193 | #258 |
| 2020 | 1,151 | #268 |
| 2019 | 1,165 | #284 |
| 2018 | 1,109 | #300 |
| 2017 | 1,152 | #284 |
| 2016 | 1,122 | #290 |
| 2015 | 1,106 | #293 |
| 2014 | 1,075 | #304 |
| 2013 | 1,114 | #285 |
| 2012 | 1,051 | #305 |
| 2011 | 947 | #332 |
| 2010 | 1,086 | #300 |
| 2009 | 1,079 | #306 |
| 2008 | 1,102 | #301 |
| 2007 | 1,146 | #294 |
| 2006 | 1,160 | #286 |
| 2005 | 1,191 | #279 |
| 2004 | 1,201 | #271 |
| 2003 | 1,118 | #278 |
| 2002 | 1,121 | #279 |
| 2001 | 1,076 | #292 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Miriam a popular girl name?
Miriam ranked #246 among girls in 2025 with 1,262 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #293.
When was the name Miriam most popular?
Miriam peaked in 1924, when 1,834 American girls received the name (ranked #143 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Miriam?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,426 newborn American girls was named Miriam. It scores 46/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.