Girl · #3,160 in 2026

Miri

Miri is a coastal city in north-eastern Sarawak, Malaysia, located near the border of Brunei, on the island of Borneo. The city covers an area of 997.43 square kilometres (385.11 sq mi), located 798 kilometres (496 mi) northeast of Kuching and 329 kilometres (204 mi) southwest of Kota Kinabalu. Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of 356,900 as of 2020.

Current Rank
#3,160
Peak Rank
#3,160 (2026)
Total Babies
924
5-Yr Trend
+62%
1962
First Year
2026
Last Year
2026
Peak Year
#3160
Peak Rank
924
Total Count
52
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Miri

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Miri is a coastal city in north-eastern Sarawak, Malaysia, located near the border of Brunei, on the island of Borneo. The city covers an area of 997.43 square kilometres (385.11 sq mi), located 798 kilometres (496 mi) northeast of Kuching and 329 kilometres (204 mi) southwest of Kota Kinabalu. Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of 356,900 as of 2020.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
Miri town is named after a minority ethnic group called " Jati Miriek " or simply "Mirek", or "Miriek". This ethnic group are the earliest settlers in the region of Miri Division . Europeans who later came to the region for oil exploration mistakenly pronounced "Miriek" as "Miri", and this name continues to be used today.

The Story of Miri

Miri first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1962, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 51 Miris were born — ranking #3,160 that year. As of 2026, Miri ranks #3,160 for baby girls with 51 births, rising sharply (+62% over the past five years). In total, more than 924 Miris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Notable people named Miri

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

  • Paul Phua , businessman, bookmaker, and poker player.
  • Zee Avi , international singer and ukulele player.
  • Shaun Maloney , Scottish football Manager.
  • Abdul Taib Mahmud , fourth chief minister of Sarawak.
  • Joseph Kalang Tie , Sarawak FA football player.
  • George Chan Hong Nam , Sarawak's former deputy chief minister.
  • Wee Han Wen , first chairman of the Miri City Council .
  • Watson Nyambek , ex-national sprinter.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Names that sound like Miri

Phonetically similar names — useful when Miri is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Miri

What does the name Miri mean?
Miri is a coastal city in north-eastern Sarawak, Malaysia, located near the border of Brunei, on the island of Borneo. The city covers an area of 997.43 square kilometres (385.11 sq mi), located 798 kilometres (496 mi) northeast of Kuching and 329 kilometres (204 mi) southwest of Kota Kinabalu. Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of 356,900 as of 2020.
How popular is Miri in 2026?
In 2026, Miri ranks #3,160 among girls' names in the U.S., with 51 babies given the name that year.
When was Miri most popular?
Miri reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #3,160 that year with 51 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Miri most popular?
Miri has historically been most popular in New Jersey, New York, California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Miri.
Is Miri a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Miri is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Miri?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Miri include Elisebeth, Robbye, Avalene. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Miri

Miri is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1962 and has accumulated 924 births in the dataset. Miri's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #3,160. Use the chart and map above to compare Miri's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.