Fun Facts About the Name Moe
- 796 babies named Moe: U.S. records list 796 babies given the name Moe from 1880 through 2025. Even 62 girls received the name Moe - about 1 girl for every 12 boys.
What Does the Name Moe Mean?
Moe is an English diminutive of names beginning with Mo-, especially Moses, Maurice, and Morris. It has no separate etymology; its meaning is inherited from the full name. When it stands for Moses, it carries the traditional meaning 'drawn out of the water,' from Hebrew Mosheh, which the biblical narrative connects with mashah, 'to draw out.' The literal etymology of Mosheh is uncertain; some scholars suggest an Egyptian origin such as msy, 'son' or 'born of.' When it stands for Maurice or Morris, it carries the meaning 'dark-skinned,' from Latin Maurus, originally 'inhabitant of Mauretania' and later 'Moor.'
Separately, Moe is a Japanese feminine given name, usually written 萌. The character means 'to sprout' or 'to bud,' and as a name it is commonly understood as 'sprout' or 'budding.' This Japanese name is unrelated to the English diminutive.
Moe Name History & Origins
The English Moe developed as a familiar short form of longer given names. Moses is an ancient Hebrew name borne by the prophet and lawgiver of the Hebrew Bible. It passed into Greek as Mōusēs and Latin as Moyses, and it has been used as a given name in Jewish and Christian communities for centuries. Maurice comes from Latin Mauritius, a derivative of Maurus. It was borne by Saint Maurice, a Christian martyr of the Roman era, and spread in medieval Europe. Morris is an English form of the same name. As these full names became common in English, Moe arose naturally as a spoken shortening.
In Japan, Moe is a feminine given name written with characters such as 萌. The name comes from the Japanese reading of the character, not from English. The character's meaning 'sprout' or 'bud' gives the name its sense. The same character appears in the modern Japanese fandom term moe, which is a separate development from the personal name.
How Popular is the Name Moe?
Moe recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1916. Its best rank was #636 in 1904.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | #17,377 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #18,422 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #16,163 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #11,957 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #19,122 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #17,936 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #17,097 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #16,067 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #13,199 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #12,819 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #14,628 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,041 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #10,527 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #6,771 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2022 | #8,109 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #10,241 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #8,652 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #11,725 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #13,405 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #10,374 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #10,367 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #9,430 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #13,678 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #13,370 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1993 | #9,686 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #5,543 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #4,940 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #3,926 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #3,869 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #4,325 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #3,671 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1952 | #3,610 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1932 | #3,278 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1929 | #3,823 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1928 | #3,599 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1927 | #2,258 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1926 | #2,845 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1925 | #2,546 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1924 | #2,314 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1923 | #2,721 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1922 | #1,862 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1921 | #2,123 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1920 | #1,449 | 27 | 0.0025% |
| 1919 | #1,183 | 36 | 0.0037% |
| 1918 | #1,145 | 37 | 0.0037% |
| 1917 | #1,254 | 30 | 0.0032% |
| 1916 | #910 | 49 | 0.0055% |
| 1915 | #1,010 | 40 | 0.0047% |
| 1914 | #811 | 43 | 0.0066% |
| 1913 | #846 | 33 | 0.0064% |
| 1912 | #812 | 30 | 0.0070% |
| 1911 | #781 | 18 | 0.0080% |
| 1910 | #1,022 | 11 | 0.0057% |
| 1909 | #826 | 13 | 0.0079% |
| 1908 | #812 | 12 | 0.0078% |
| 1907 | #1,069 | 8 | 0.0054% |
| 1906 | #1,362 | 5 | 0.0038% |
| 1905 | #1,192 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1904 | #636 | 14 | 0.0109% |
| 1903 | #1,090 | 6 | 0.0050% |
| 1902 | #1,103 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1899 | #914 | 7 | 0.0066% |
| 1897 | #1,174 | 5 | 0.0044% |
| 1896 | #873 | 8 | 0.0067% |
| 1895 | #947 | 7 | 0.0060% |
| 1894 | #1,189 | 5 | 0.0043% |
| 1890 | #1,108 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1889 | #1,062 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1888 | #1,005 | 6 | 0.0050% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Moe Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Moe's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Moe's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.