Molly

In 18th century England, the term carried complex social meanings, and the name gained widespread currency through John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera (1728), whose character Polly Peachum (a variant diminutive of Mary) became iconic.

The 19th century saw Molly firmly established as an independent given name, particularly in Ireland.

Literary Mollies abound in the English canon. Molly Bloom is the protagonist’s wife in James Joyce’s Ulysses (1922), whose final unpunctuated soliloquy ranks among the most famous passages in modernist literature.

Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones (1749) features Molly Seagrim, and the traditional Irish folk song Molly Malone has served as the unofficial anthem of Dublin since the late 19th century, with a statue erected there in 1988.

The American historical figure Molly Pitcher, a nickname given to women who carried water to cannons during the Revolutionary War (most famously Mary Ludwig Hays at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778), became part of U.S.

folklore. According to Social Security Administration records, Molly appeared consistently in the top 1000 throughout the 20th century, reached the top 100 during the 1990s, and has since settled into the top 300.

Contemporary bearers include American actress Molly Ringwald, star of John Hughes films including The Breakfast Club (1985), and American comedian Molly Shannon.