Name
Murphy
Meaning
Murphy is a unisex name of Irish origin meaning “sea warrior”.
Murphy, Ireland's most common surname, descends from the personal name Murchadh, combining muir, sea, with cath, battle: a sea warrior. As a first name it skews cheerfully unisex in America, helped by the sitcom journalist Murphy Brown.
In the US top 1000 for both girls and boys in the 2020s.
Popularity in the United States
Girls
Ranked #397 in 2025 · peak #397 in 2025
Boys
Ranked #754 in 2025 · peak #754 in 2025
Data: US Social Security Administration, top-1000 ranks.
At a glance
- Origin
- Irish
- Gender
- Unisex
- Pronounced
- /MUR-fee/
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Questions
Murphy is a unisex name of Irish origin meaning “sea warrior”. Murphy, Ireland's most common surname, descends from the personal name Murchadh, combining muir, sea, with cath, battle: a sea warrior.
Murphy is a unisex name, used for both boys and girls. In the US top 1000 for both girls and boys in the 2020s.
The name Murphy comes from Irish. Murphy, Ireland's most common surname, descends from the personal name Murchadh, combining muir, sea, with cath, battle: a sea warrior. As a first name it skews cheerfully unisex in America, helped by the sitcom journalist Murphy Brown.
Murphy is pronounced MUR-fee.
More names that mean warrior
Names that share this meaning.