Molly (also spelled Molli or Mollie) is a diminutive of the feminine name Mary that, like other English hypocorisms in use since the Middle Ages, substituted l for r. Molly evolved from the English diminutive Mally. English surnames such as Moll, Mollett, and Mollison are derived from Molly. Molly has also been used as a diminutive of Margaret and Martha since the 1700s and as an independent name since at least 1720. The name was more popular in the United States than elsewhere in the Anglosphere in the 1800s due to usage by Irish-American families and by Jewish American families who used Molly as an English version of Hebrew names such as Miriam and Malka. Its popularity with Americans was also influenced by stories about Molly Pitcher, a heroine of the American Revolutionary War. Usage
The name has been among the 1,000 most popular names for girls in the United States since 1880 and was among the 100 most popular names for American girls at different times between 1987 and 2012. It has been among the 100 most popular names for newborn girls in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom since the 1990s, and in Denmark since 2019. It was among the top 100 names for girls in some Canadian provinces between 2007 and 2011.
People Molly Adair (1905–1990), English actress Molly Aguirre (born 1984), American snowboarder Molly Antopol (born 1978), American fiction and nonfiction writer Molly Applebaum (born 1930), Polish-Canadian holocaust survivor and diarist Molly Musiime Asiimwe (born 1962), Ugandan politician Mollie Arline Kirkland Bailey (c. 1844–1918), American circus musician, singer, wartime nurse and alleged Confederate spy Molly Bair (born 1997), American model Molly Ball, American political journalist and writer Molly Bang (born 1943), American illustrator Molly Lyons Bar-David (1910–1987) Canadian-born Israeli journalist, cookbook author Molly Barker, American educator and triathlete Molly Barton (1861–1949), Irish artist Molly Bartrip (born 1996), English footballer Molly Baumgardner (born 1959), American politician Molly Baz, American cook, food writer and video host Martina "Molly" Beck (born 1979), German biathlete Molly Bee (1939–2009), stage name of Mollie Gene Beachboard, American country music singer Molly Bernard (born 1988), American actress Molly Beucher, American actress Molly Bingham, American journalist and filmmaker Molly Birnbaum, American writer Molly Bish (1983–2000), American murder victim Molly Blackburn (1930–1985), South African activist Molly Blake (1917–2011), British illustrator Molly Bloom (born 1978), American entrepreneur and author Molly Lamb Bobak (1920–2014), Canadian teacher and artist Molly Bolin (born 1957), American basketball player Molly Bordonaro, American diplomat Molly Botkin (born 1943), American swimmer Molly Brant (c. 1736–1796), prominent Mohawk woman in the era of the American Revolution Molly S. Bray, American geneticist Molly Brearley, British educationist, teacher and writer Molly Brett, English illustrator and children's author Molly Corbett Broad (1941–2023), American academic administrator Molly Brodak (1980–2020), American poet, writer and baker Margaret "The Unsinkable Molly" Brown (1867–1932), survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, philanthropist and activist Molly Bruggeman (born 1992), American rower Molly Buck, American politician Molly Burch (born 1990), American musician Molly Burhans, American cartographer, data scientist and environmental activist Molly Burke (born 1994), Canadian YouTube personality Molly Burman, musical artist Molly Burnett (born 1988), American actress and singer Molly Byrne (born 1928), Australian politician
Molly Cameron (born 1976), American racing cyclist Molly Carlson (born 1998), Canadian high diver Molly Carnes, American physician and academic Molly Caudery (born 2000), English pole vaulter Molly Cesanek (born 2001), American ice dancer Molly Chacko (born 1969), Indian middle-distance runner Molly Cheek (born 1950), American actress Molly Childers (1875–1964), American-Irish writer and nationalist Molly Clark (c. 1920–2012), pastoral and tourism pioneer from Central Australia Molly Clutton-Brock (1912–2013), British physical therapist and youth worker Molly Conger, American activist and journalist Molly Conlin (born 2001), English actress Molly Contogeorge, Australian singer songwriter and musician Molly Cook, American registered nurse and politician Molly Cotton (c. 1902–1984), British archaeologist Molly Cowan, New Zealand sprinter Molly Cox (1925–1991), British television producer Molly Crabapple (née Jennifer Caban; born 1983), American artist and writer Molly Craft (1895–1978), American baseball player Molly Craig, Australian Martu Aboriginal woman Molly Cramer (1852–1936), German artist Molly Creamer (born 1981), American basketball player Molly J. Crockett (born 1983), American neuroscientist Molly Culver (born 1967), American actress and model Molly Daniels, Australian actress Molly Davies, British playwright Molly Davis (born 2000), American basketball player Molly Dineen (born 1959), British documentary filmmaker Molly Dodd (1921–1981), American actress Molly Donahue, American educator and politician Molly Drake (1915–1993), English poet and musician Molly Duncan (1945–2019), Scottish saxophonist Molly Dunsworth (born 1990), Canadian actress Molly Engstrom (born 1983), American ice hockey player Molly Ephraim (born 1986), American actress Molly Erdman, American actress Mary "Mollie" Evans (1922–2016), British antique dealer Molly Fink (1896–1967), Australian socialite Molly Fisk (born 1955), American poet and radio commentator Molly Flaherty (1914–1989), Australian cricketer Molly Gaskin, Trinidad and Tobago environmentalist Molly Geertsema (1918–1991), Dutch politician Molly Giles, American writer Molly Gloss (born 1944), American novelist Molly Glynn (1968–2014), American actress Molly Goddard, British fashion designer Molly Goodenbour (born 1972), American basketball player and coach Molly Goodman (born 1993), Australian rower Molly Goodnight (1839–1926), American rancher Molly Gordon (born 1994), American actress Molly Gourlay (1898–1990), British golfer Molly Grace, musical artist Molly Graham, Scottish amateur golfer Molly Gray (born 1984), American politician Molly Gregory (1914–2006), American artist Molly Guion (1910–1982), American painter Molly Hagan (born 1961), American actress Molly-Mae Hague (born 1999), English influencer Molly Hamley-Clifford (1887–1956), British actress Molly Hammar (born 1995), Swedish singer and songwriter Molly Hannis (born 1992), American swimmer Mollie Hardwick (1916–2003), English author Molly Harper, American writer Molly Harrison (curator) (1909–2002), English museum curator and author Molly Harrower (1906–1999), American clinical psychologist Molly Hawkey (born 1978), American actress and photographer Molly Haskell (born 1939), American feminist film critic and author Molly Hattersley, British educationist Molly Hawkey (born 1978), American actress Molly Costain Haycraft (1911–2005), Canadian writer Molly Healy, Australian cricketer Molly Henneberg (born 1973), American journalist Molly Hide (1913–1995), English cricketer Molly Hocking (born 2000), English singer Molly Holden (1927–1981), British poet Molly Holly (born 1977), American professional wrestler Molly Holzschlag (1963–2023), American computer scientist Molly Howard, American politician Molly Huddle (born 1984), American long-distance runner Mary Vivian "Molly" Hughes (1886–1956), British author Mollie Hunter (1922–2012), Scottish writer Molly Idle, American children's book illustrator Mary "Molly" Ivins (1944–2007), American columnist, political commentator, humorist and author Molly Izzard (1919–2004), English writer Molly Jahn, American plant geologist Molly Jenkins, American politician Molly Jenson (born 1979), American singer songwriter Molly Jobe, American actress and singer Mollie Johnson, 19th-century American Old West madam in South Dakota Margaret "Molly" Johnson (born 1959), Canadian singer and songwriter Molly Johnson (writer) (1931–2016), Swedish novelist Molly Jong-Fast (born 1978), American author and pundit Molly Jovic (born 1995), Australian netball player Molly Nawe Kamukama (born 1973), Ugandan politician Mollie Katzen (born 1950), American chef and cookbook writer M. M. Kaye (1908–2004), British writer, author of The Far Pavilions Molly Kazan (1906–1963), American dramatist Mary "Molly" Keane (née Mary Nesta Skrine; 1904–1996), Irish novelist and playwright Molly Kearney (born 1992), American actor and comedian Molly Kehoe (born 2004), Caymanian footballer Molly Kelly (born 1949), American politician Molly Kelly (rugby union), Wales international rugby union player Molly Kate Kestner (born 1995), American singer Molly Kiely (born 1969), Canadian-American alternative cartoonist Molly Killingbeck (born 1959), Canadian sprinter Mollie King (born 1987), British singer with The Saturdays Molly Kool (1916–2009), Canadian sea captain Molly Kreklow (born 1992), American volleyball player Mollie Kyle (1886–1937), survivor of the Osage Indian murders Molly Ladd-Taylor (born 1955), Canadian historian Molly Lambert, American journalist Molly Lamont (1910–2001), South African-born British film actress Molly Lanyero (born 1975), Ugandan politician Molly Larkey, American artist Molly Lazechko (1926–2010), American politician Molly Leach (born 1960), American graphic designer Molly Le Bas (1903–1996), British artist Molly Lefebure (1919–2013), British writer Molly Leishman (born 1998), New Zealand actress Molly Lewis (born 1989), American musician Molly Lewis (basketball) (born 1989), Australian basketball player Molly Lewis (whistler), musical artist Molly Line (born 1977), American news correspondent Molly Luce (1896–1986), American painter Molly Ludlow (born 1987), American middle-distance runner Molly Luft (1944–2010), German prostitute and brothel owner
Molly Macalister (1920–1979), New Zealand artist Molly MacArthur (1893–1972), English artist and stage designer Molly K. Macauley (1957–2016), American economist Mary MacCarthy (1882–1953), British writer associated with the "Bloomsbury Group" Molly Murphy MacGregor, American educator Molly Macindoe, American/New Zealander photographer and photojournalist Molly Mackey (born 1992), American softball player and coach Molly Maguires, 19th century secret society in Ireland Molly Mahood (1919–2017), British literary scholar Molly Malone Cook (1925–2005), American photographer and partner to Mary Oliver Molly Malone (1888–1952), stage name of American actress Violet Malone Molly F. Mare (1914–1997), British marine biologist Molly Marples (1908–1998), microbial ecologist Molly Mason, American musician and composer Molly Mathews, Australian basketball player Molly Mayeux, American producer Molly McCann (born 1990), English mixed martial artist Molly McCloskey (born 1964), American writer Molly McClure (1919–2008), American actress Mollie McConnell (1865–1920), American theater and silent film actress Molly McCook (born 1990), American actress Molly McGee (1952–1994), American gridiron football player Molly S. McGlennen, American poet Molly McGlynn, Canadian film and television director and screenwriter Molly McGrann, American poet Molly McGrath (born 1989), American sportscaster and studio host Molly McGreevy (1936–2015), American actress Molly McGuire, American musician Molly McKay, American lawyer Molly McKenna (born 2006), British trampoline gymnast Molly McMichael, (born c. 1992), American actress Molly McQuade, American poet, critic and editor Molly Meacher, Baroness Meacher (born 1940), British politician Molly Meech (born 1993), New Zealand sailor