The first name Polly
A girl’s name from Hebrew.
Pronounced /ˈpɒli/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Nickname for Mary, created by rhyming with Molly.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 242 girls were named Polly, making it the 204th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 337 births (#156).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Polly with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Polly at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 79 girls born in the United States were named Polly, the 2,318th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1964, when 688 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.
Polly in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Famous people named Polly
17 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Polly BergenAmerican actress (1930-2014)
- Polly HollidayAmerican actress, 1937–2025
- Polly WalkerBritish actress, born 1966
- Polly SamsonEnglish novelist, lyricist and journalist, born 1962
- Polly MoranActress, vaudevillian (1883-1952)
- Polly Ann YoungAmerican actress (1908-1997)
- Polly DraperActress, director, writer, and producer (born 1955)
- Polly SwannBritish rower, born 1988
- Polly ShannonCanadian actress, born 1973
- Polly KlaasAmerican murder victim (1981–1993)
- Polly AdlerAmerican madam and author (1900–1962)
- Polly ToynbeeEnglish journalist and writer, born 1946
More Hebrew girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Polly mean?
- Nickname for Mary, created by rhyming with Molly.
- What is the origin of the name Polly?
- Nickname for Mary, created by rhyming with Molly.
- How popular is the name Polly?
- In 2025, 242 girls born in England and Wales were named Polly, ranking 204th. Its peak was 2021, with 337 births.
- Is Polly a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 29,708 US babies named Polly since 1880 were girls.
- When was Polly most popular?
- 1964 in the United States, when 688 babies were named Polly, its highest rank at 361st.
- How do you pronounce Polly?
- Polly is /ˈpɒli/, 2 syllables.
- Is Polly also a surname?
- Yes. Polly is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.