Where does the name Myrtle come from?

Myrtle is a girl name of Ancient Greek origin.

Is Myrtle a boy or a girl name?

Myrtle is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 136,478 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How popular is the name Myrtle in 2023?

Myrtle ranks #14634 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1918 with 4,076 babies.

How do you pronounce Myrtle?

Myrtle is pronounced MYR-tle (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Myrtle?

Myrtle is also written as Mertle, Myrtice.

A name from Ancient Greek · Girl

Myrtle

From the English word for the myrtle plant, ultimately from Greek myrtos. Sacred to Aphrodite in Greek antiquity; used as a given name in the Victorian era when plant names were fashionable.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

136,478 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

6 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

MFrom the English word for the myrtle plant, ultimately from Greek myrtos. Sacred to Aphrodite in Greek antiquity; used as a given name in the Victorian era when plant names were fashionable.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Myrtle".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Mertle Most common Myrtice

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Myrtle.

M
Myrtle Wilson (The Great Gatsby)
M
Moaning Myrtle (Harry Potter ghost)

Quick answers

People often ask about Myrtle.

What does the name Myrtle mean?: Myrtle means from the English word for the myrtle plant, ultimately from Greek myrtos. Sacred to Aphrodite in Greek antiquity; used as a given name in the Victorian era when plant names were fashionable.
Where does the name Myrtle come from?: Myrtle is a girl name of Ancient Greek origin.
Is Myrtle a boy or a girl name?: Myrtle is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 136,478 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How popular is the name Myrtle in 2023?: Myrtle ranks #14634 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1918 with 4,076 babies.
How do you pronounce Myrtle?: Myrtle is pronounced MYR-tle (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Myrtle?: Myrtle is also written as Mertle, Myrtice.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.