The first name Monica
A girl’s name from Latin.
Pronounced /ˈmɑ.nɪ.kə/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
From Latin Monica, name of the mother of St. Augustine, of uncertain meaning but probably Berber or Phoenician origin.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 26 girls were named Monica, making it the 1,229th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1997, with 138 births (#274).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Monica with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Monica at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 371 girls born in the United States were named Monica, the 737th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1979, when 6,585 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Monica in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Monica in Danish and Italian too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Monica
60 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Monica LewinskyAmerican activist and writer (born 1973)
- Monica of HippoChristian saint; mother of St. Augustine (c.332-387)
- Monica BarbaroAmerican actress (born 1990)
- MonicaAmerican singer and rapper (born 1980)
- Monica AliBritish writer, novelist (born 1967)
- Monica BleibtreuAustrian actress and screenwriter (1944–2009)
- Monica IozziBrazilian actress and reporter, born 1981
- Monica RaymundAmerican actress, born 1986
- Monica KeenaAmerican actress, born 1979
- Monica RoșuArtistic gymnast from Romania, born 1987
- Mônica CarvalhoBrazilian actress and former model, born 1971
- Monica AksamitAmerican fencer, born 1990
More Latin girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Monica mean?
- From Latin Monica, name of the mother of St. Augustine, of uncertain meaning but probably Berber or Phoenician origin.
- What is the origin of the name Monica?
- From Latin Monica, name of the mother of St. Augustine, of uncertain meaning but probably Berber or Phoenician origin.
- How popular is the name Monica?
- In 2025, 26 girls born in England and Wales were named Monica, ranking 1,229th. Its peak was 1997, with 138 births.
- What are nicknames for Monica?
- Common nicknames for Monica include Mon, Mons.
- Is Monica a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 252,257 US babies named Monica since 1880 were girls.
- When was Monica most popular?
- 1979 in the United States, when 6,585 babies were named Monica, its highest rank at 40th.
- How do you pronounce Monica?
- Monica is /ˈmɑ.nɪ.kə/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Monica?
- Monika.
- Is Monica also a surname?
- Yes. Monica is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.