Monae
A feminine name derived from Aramaic, meaning "beautiful one" or "unique".
Name Census estimates that about 2,213 living Americans carry the first name Monae. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Monae today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Monae births was 1998 (113 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Monae. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
2.2K
~ 1 in 154,882 Americans
Peak year
1998
113 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,836
Tracked since 1961
Popularity
Monae: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Monae from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 776 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Monae by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Monae during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Monaes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. California, New York, Maryland recorded the most babies named Monae, while Missouri, Louisiana, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 55 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Monae
The name Monae is a modern feminine name that gained popularity in the late 20th century. It is believed to be a variant of the French name Monique, which ultimately derives from the Greek name Monika. Monika is a feminine form of the masculine name Monikos, which means "lone" or "unique" in Greek.
While the name Monae itself does not have a long historical record, its roots can be traced back to ancient Greek culture. The concept of uniqueness or individuality was highly valued in ancient Greek philosophy, and names reflecting these qualities were often bestowed upon children.
There are no definitive historical references or ancient texts that specifically mention the name Monae. However, the name's connection to the Greek word "monikos" suggests a possible link to philosophical or literary works that explored the themes of individuality and self-discovery.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Monae are relatively recent, with the name gaining popularity in the late 20th century, particularly in the United States. One of the earliest notable individuals to bear the name Monae was American singer and actress Monae Idlett Mervitt, born in 1976.
Other notable individuals named Monae include:
1. Monae Bateman, an American dancer and actress born in 1977.
2. Monae Everett, an American actress and model born in 1982.
3. Monae Davis, an American basketball player born in 1987.
4. Monae Nichols, an American singer and songwriter born in 1990.
5. Monae Love, an American reality television personality born in 1993.
While the name Monae does not have a long historical lineage, its connection to the Greek concept of uniqueness and individuality has likely contributed to its modern appeal. As a relatively new name, its usage and popularity will continue to evolve over time.
People
Monae + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Monae as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Monae: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Monae?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,213 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Monae going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 154,882 US residents.
Is Monae a common name?
We classify Monae as "Rare". It ranks above 94.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,270 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Monae most popular?
The single biggest year for Monae was 1998, when 113 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Monae is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Monae a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Monae in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.