Molly
Molly developed as a medieval English diminutive of Mary and is now also used independently. The reference traces it through older diminutive forms. Its relationship to Mary is documented without assigning a separate, certain literal translation to the diminutive.
- Meaning
- Diminutive of Mary
- Name or word origin
- English
- Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈmɒl.i/
Sources and meaning notes
This source supports the relationship with Mary. The source of the full name is a separate etymological question.
- Behind the Name: Molly Name history, usage and the pronunciation specified in this entry
References checked .
Catalog grouping: Female. This is a browsing label and does not restrict which cats can use the name.
Popularity in cited datasets
Each position below belongs to its publisher’s sample and time period. These are not iCatNames registration counts or a combined ranking.
| Dataset scope | Position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. cat names — top 100 | #76 | Rover catalog (checked 2026-10-26; undated) |
An undated catalog checked in 2026 is not a 2025 annual result. Historical reports keep their published period. Source records on this page were checked on 2026-10-26.
Compare the checked ranking snapshotsNames in similar collections to Molly
These entries have source references and overlap with this name in the site’s editorial collections. The overlap does not measure pet-owner preferences or prove a shared linguistic origin.