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Monroe

Girl / Boy name · 46 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Monroe: 46 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 8 births in 2024.

Monroe carries a distinctly American energy, though its roots are firmly Scottish and Irish. It began as a surname, an anglicised form of the Gaelic *Maol Ruanaidh*, meaning "follower of Ruanaidh" or "devotee of the red-haired one." The name is most famously associated with Marilyn Monroe, the iconic Hollywood actress whose stage surname became a symbol of glamour and vulnerability. It also calls to mind President James Monroe, the fifth US president, whose name graces the Monroe Doctrine and the capital of Liberia, Monrovia. As a first name, Monroe has a cool, unisex appeal, rising in popularity for both boys and girls in recent decades, partly thanks to its association with the elegant, old-Hollywood sound.