Declining since 2017, #8,362 for girls today.
Popularity of Mireille since 1949
Babies named Mireille per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 8 |
| 1960s | 52 |
| 1970s | 112 |
| 1980s | 93 |
| 1990s | 110 |
| 2000s | 148 |
| 2010s | 221 |
| 2020s | 101 |
Meaning & origin
Mireille entered U.S. records in 1949, but its modern American usage has always been rare, never breaking into the top 1,000. Its peak came in 2018, when it ranked 8,362. Since 2017, its trajectory has been falling, reflecting a retreat from the brief interest around the turn of the 2020s. The name carries a strong French and Occitan identity, tied to Mistral's literary work, and has a sophisticated, melodious sound that appeals to parents seeking an uncommon but recognizable name. With 1-in-133,939 frequency in 2025, it remains a quiet choice without any dominant U.S. state base, as its top states list is empty.
Mireille is the Occitan form of Miriam, but its modern popularity derives from the 19th-century French poet Frédéric Mistral, who used it for the heroine of his long poem 'Mireio' (1859). Mistral claimed he formed the name from the Occitan verb mirar, meaning 'to admire' or 'to wonder at.' The name became well known in the French-speaking world through the opera 'Mireille' by Charles Gounod (1864). It is not related to the Latin mirari ('to wonder') directly, though folk etymology often connects it to French miracles or admirable.
“Mireille” around the world
Where Mireille lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mimi, Mirey
Sibling names for Mireille
Names that share Mireille's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Amélie, Colette, Marguerite, Sylvie, Vivienne, Alane, Ariell, Aryelle, Carine, Delaine, Erielle, Jiselle, Lizette, Lyanne, Marcille, Racine, Rayelle, Renelle, Suzette, Chantilly, Chenille, Geselle, Jayelle, Jizelle, Norielle, Zurielle, Annalysse, Celisse, Channelle, Charmelle, Desarie, Ellesse, Gavrielle, Ineza, Magally, Norelle, Racquelle, Shevelle, Yiselle
Brothers: Bastien, Gilles, Lucien, Rémy, Thibault, Aniel, Joniel, Corday, Daviel, Franchot, Jarelle, Letrell, Levelle, Yohann, Chalon, Jarreau, Marguis
