NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Murphie

A diminutive of the Irish surname Murphy, derived from the Irish Gaelic name Murchadh meaning "sea warrior".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Murphie is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Murphie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 5 births.

This profile covers 12 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2017 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Murphie is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 12 living people in the UK are called Murphie. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Murphie ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 5 girls were registered as Murphie.
  • About 12 living people in the UK are estimated to have Murphie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4192

2024

Births in 2024

5

Latest year

Peak year

2024

5 births

Estimated living

12

2026

Meaning

What does Murphie mean?

The name Murphie is believed to have its origins in the ancient Celtic languages, particularly Irish Gaelic. It is thought to be derived from the Old Irish word "muire," which means "sea" or "ocean." The name may have been used to describe someone who lived near the sea or had a connection to maritime activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Murphie can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval Irish chronicle dating back to the 15th century. In this text, a person named "Muirfhertach" is mentioned, which is a variation of the name Murphie. This suggests that the name has a long history in Irish culture and tradition.

During the Middle Ages, the name Murphie was relatively uncommon, but it gained more prominence in the 17th and 18th centuries. One notable bearer of the name was Murphie O'Flaherty (1629-1716), an Irish soldier and member of the Catholic Confederacy during the Irish Confederate Wars.

In the 19th century, a Murphie McManus (1820-1890) was a prominent Irish nationalist and member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, an organization dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish republic.

Another notable figure named Murphie was Murphie O'Sullivan (1858-1924), an Irish writer and journalist who played a significant role in the Irish literary revival of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A more recent historical figure bearing the name Murphie was Murphie Beirne (1899-1975), an Irish politician and member of the Fianna Fáil party, who served as a Teachta Dála (Member of Parliament) for several constituencies.

While the name Murphie has its roots in Irish culture, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in communities with Irish heritage or connections.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Murphie over time

The chart below shows babies named Murphie registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2017 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Murphie, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Murphie
01345201720202024

Decades

Murphie by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Murphie was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #4931 8 2
2010s #4763 4 1

Related

Names similar to Murphie

FAQ

Murphie: questions and answers

How popular is the name Murphie in the UK right now?

In 2024, Murphie was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Murphie most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 5 babies registered as Murphie in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Murphie?

A diminutive of the Irish surname Murphy, derived from the Irish Gaelic name Murchadh meaning "sea warrior".

How many people are called Murphie in the UK?

A total of 12 babies have been registered as Murphie across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.