Miriam
Girl name · #246 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Miriam? In official American birth records, Miriam has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Miriam is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". 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. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Miriam is most common in NJ (4.9 per 1,000), NY (3.6 per 1,000), IN (1.5 per 1,000), WI (1.2 per 1,000), OH (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Miriam is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
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
How old is the name Miriam?
In official American birth records, the name Miriam first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 28 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.