Girl · #6,650 in 2026

Monika

Monika is a female name in German, Scandinavian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovenian, Macedonian, Croatian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Hungarian (Mónika) and Japanese which can also be seen in India. It is a variation of Monica, stemming from the word "advisor" in Latin and "unique" in Greek.

Current Rank
#6,650
Peak Rank
#705 (1990)
Total Babies
10K
5-Yr Trend
-31%
1942
First Year
2026
Last Year
1990
Peak Year
#705
Peak Rank
10K
Total Count
80
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Monika

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

Monika is a female name in German, Scandinavian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovenian, Macedonian, Croatian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Hungarian (Mónika) and Japanese which can also be seen in India. It is a variation of Monica, stemming from the word "advisor" in Latin and "unique" in Greek.

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

The Story of Monika

Monika first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1942, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1990, when 257 Monikas were born — ranking #783 that year. As of 2026, Monika ranks #6,650 for baby girls with 17 births, falling sharply (-31%). In total, more than 10K Monikas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Notable people named Monika

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

  • Monika Äijä (born 1963), Swedish alpine skier
  • Monika Absolonová (born 1976), Czech singer and actress
  • Monika Adamczyk-Garbowska , Polish literature expert and professor of humanistic studies
  • Monika Aidelsburger , German quantum physicist
  • Monika Antonelli (born 1959), American voice actor and librarian
  • Monika Athare (born 1992), Indian long-distance runner
  • Monika Auer (born 1957), Italian luger
  • Monika Babok (born 1991), Croatian swimmer

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

Names that sound like Monika

Phonetically similar names — useful when Monika 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 Monika

What does the name Monika mean?
Monika is a female name in German, Scandinavian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovenian, Macedonian, Croatian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Hungarian (Mónika) and Japanese which can also be seen in India. It is a variation of Monica, stemming from the word "advisor" in Latin and "unique" in Greek.
How popular is Monika in 2026?
In 2026, Monika ranks #6,650 among girls' names in the U.S., with 17 babies given the name that year.
When was Monika most popular?
Monika reached its peak popularity in 1990, ranking #705 that year with 257 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Monika most popular?
Monika has historically been most popular in Nevada, Connecticut, Illinois. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Monika.
Is Monika a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Monika is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Monika?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Monika include Ardella, Joycelyn, Dori. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Monika

Monika is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1942 and has accumulated 10K births in the dataset. Monika's peak popularity came in 1990 when it ranked #705. Use the chart and map above to compare Monika'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.