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Mona

Girl name · 12 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Mona: 12 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 5 births in 2025.

With ancient roots stretching back through a dozen cultures, Mona most commonly derives from the Irish Gaelic *Muadhnait*, meaning "little noble one," though it also appears as an Italian short form of Madonna ("my lady") and in Old English as a feminine form of mona, "moon." The name was famously borne by the Irish revolutionary **Mona O'Brien**, a founding member of Cumann na mBan, and by the Scottish actress **Mona Wales**, known for her stage and screen work in the early 20th century. The Isle of Anglesey in Wales was called *Mona* by the Romans, though that name likely comes from a separate Celtic root meaning "high." A charming modern bearer is the heroine of the Pixar film *Monsters, Inc.*, **Boo**, whose real name is Mary—but the Scottish variation **Mona** remains a beloved choice, having charted steadily in Scottish baby name statistics since the 1970s.