Muriel is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Muriel means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Muriel across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Muriel has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Muriel is a girl name of Celtic origin meaning “bright sea”. From a Celtic name related to Irish Muirgel.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 55,646 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 18 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 13 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 226 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Muriel per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1922 (2,407/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1967 (20/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2024 (7/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1975 (4/yr).
Muriel has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1922, when it ranked #195 nationally (given to 2,407 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Marley · Merle · Marely · Merrill · Marlee · Mariela · Marilee · Myrl
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