UK girl's name
Myrtle
From Greek for the evergreen shrub, symbolizing immortality and love.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Myrtle is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Myrtle popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 11 births.
This profile covers 75 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1998 to 2022. 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.
The latest count is about 27% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 75 living people in the UK are called Myrtle. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Myrtle ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 11 girls were registered as Myrtle.
- • About 75 living people in the UK are estimated to have Myrtle as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2015
11 births
Estimated living
75
2026
Meaning
What does Myrtle mean?
The name Myrtle has its origins in the ancient Greek language, deriving from the word "myrtus" which refers to the evergreen shrub of the same name. This shrub, with its fragrant leaves and berries, was highly revered in Greek mythology and was associated with the goddess Aphrodite.
In Greek mythology, the myrtle plant was considered sacred and was often used in religious rituals and ceremonies. It was believed to have purifying and protective properties, and was frequently used in wedding ceremonies as a symbol of love and fertility.
The earliest recorded use of the name Myrtle dates back to ancient Greece, where it was given to girls as a symbol of beauty, love, and purity. It was a popular name among the ancient Greeks and was often used in literature and poetry.
One of the earliest known historical references to the name Myrtle can be found in the works of the Greek poet Sappho, who lived around 600 BC. She wrote several poems that mentioned the myrtle plant and its association with love and beauty.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Myrtle. One of the most famous was Myrtle Gonzalez (1891-1918), a Mexican-American actress and singer who was one of the first Latina stars of the early Hollywood era.
Another notable Myrtle was Myrtle Bachelder (1879-1957), an American educator and suffragist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century.
In the world of literature, Myrtle Reed (1874-1911) was an American novelist and poet who wrote several popular books in the early 1900s, including "Lavender and Old Lace" and "The Spinster Book."
Myrtle Stedman (1856-1938) was a British-born Australian actress who had a successful career on stage and in silent films in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Finally, Myrtle Corrigan (1908-1968) was an American aviator and one of the first female pilots in the United States. She was a pioneering figure in aviation and set several records for long-distance and endurance flights in the 1930s.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Myrtle over time
The chart below shows babies named Myrtle registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Myrtle, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Myrtle by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Myrtle 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 | #5625 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4000 | 40 | 7 |
| 2000s | #3773 | 26 | 5 |
| 1990s | #3848 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Myrtle
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Myrtle: questions and answers
How popular is the name Myrtle in the UK right now?
In 2022, Myrtle was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Myrtle most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 11 babies registered as Myrtle in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Myrtle?
From Greek for the evergreen shrub, symbolizing immortality and love.
How many people are called Myrtle in the UK?
A total of 75 babies have been registered as Myrtle across the 15 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.