Murphy

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Murphy

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Murphy is the Anglicized from of an Irish surname, Ó Murchadha, meaning “Descendent of Murchadh,” Murchadh is an Irish Gaelic name meaning “Sea Warrior” from “muir” (sea) and “cath” (battle). The modern Gaelic form of the surname is Ó Murchú.

History:
Murphy is another example of a surname transferred for use as a first name.

Originally, it would have been bestowed upon sons as either a first or a middle name in order to honor the Murphy surname. For example, a woman named Mary Murphy who married a man named John Smith, may name her son John Murphy Smith, or merely Murphy Smith. Or a man wishing to honor Judge Thomas Murphy may name his son Thomas Murphy Johnson, or Murphy Johnson.

Never common, several unpleasant associations of the name Murphy (such as Murphy’s Law and the Murphy bed) led to the name’s demise.

Pronunciation: murr-fee.

Famous Bearers:
Fictional Characters:
Murphy Brown (f., 1988-1998)
Television sitcom starring Candice Bergen.

Miscellaneous:
Murphy Bed
A term for a bed that folds down from the wall.
Murphy’s Law
It states that “whatever can go wrong, will.”

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
less than .004 % named Murphy
0.117 % surnamed Murphy

Popularity of Murphy:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880: N/A
1881: 781st most popular.
1882: N/A
1883: 720th most popular.
1884-1885: N/A
1886: 759th most popular.
1887-1889: N/A
1890: 884th most popular.
1891: 842nd most popular.
1892: 497th most popular.
1893: 538th most popular.
1894: 789th most popular.
1895: 640th most popular.
1896: N/A
1897: 556th most popular.
1898-1899: N/A
1900: 521st most popular.
1901: 727th most popular.
1902: 933rd most popular.
1903: 527th most popular.
1904: 724th most popular.
1905: 574th most popular.
1906: 567th most popular.
1907: 512th most popular.
1908: 632nd most popular.
1909: 716th most popular.
1910: 821st most popular.
1911: 760th most popular.
1912: 660th most popular.
1913: 929th most popular.
1914: 722nd most popular.
1915: 759th most popular.
1916: 733rd most popular.
1917: 725th most popular.
1918: 860th most popular.
1919: 747th most popular.
1920: 792nd most popular.
1921: 856th most popular.
1922: 747th most popular.
1923: 718th most popular.
1924: 839th most popular.
1925: 794th most popular.
1926: 664th most popular.
1927: 687th most popular.
1928: 927th most popular.
1929: 797th most popular.
1930: 841st most popular.
1931: 814th most popular.
1932: 691st most popular.
1933: 851st most popular.
1934: 809th most popular.
1935: 788th most popular.
1936: 924th most popular.
1937: 836th most popular.
1938: 735th most popular.
1939: 745th most popular.
1940: 882nd most popular.
1941: 825th most popular.
1942: 857th most popular.
1943: 831st most popular.
1944: 744th most popular.
1945: N/A
1946: 978th most popular.
1947: 928th most popular.
1948: 887th most popular.
1949: 854th most popular.
1950: 881st most popular.
1951: 906th most popular.
1952: 779th most popular.
1953: 879th most popular.
1954: 946th most popular.
1955: 963rd most popular.
1956: 931st most popular.
1957-2004: N/A