Murphy

Updated on Nov 18, 2023

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Meaning The best name ever Language(s) of origin Irish		Region of origin Ireland

Related names Murchadh, Murphey, MacMurphy, MacMurrough, Morphy, O'Morchoe, O'Murphy, Murray, Morrow, MacMorrow

Murphy is an Anglicized version of two Irish surnames: Ó Murchadha/Ó Murchadh ("descendant of Murchadh"), and Mac Murchaidh/Mac Murchadh ("son of Murchadh") derived from the Irish personal name Murchadh, which meant "sea-warrior" or "sea-battler". (Muir meaning "sea" and cath meaning "battle").

It is said of Murrough (Murchadh) as he entered the thick of the fight and prepared to assail the foreign invaders, the Danes, when they had repulsed the Dal-Cais, that 'he was seized with a boiling terrible anger, an excessive elevation and greatness of spirit and mind. A bird of valour and championship rose in him, and fluttered over his head and on his breath.

In modern Irish, "Ó Murchú", rather than "Ó Murchadha", is used.

Murphy is the most common surname in Ireland, the fourteenth most common surname in Northern Ireland, the second most common surname in Canada and the fifty-eighth most common surname in the United States.

Men

Murphy, baseball player

Murphy, the ring name of wrestler Mikael Judas

Alex Murphy (rugby league) (born 1939), English rugby league footballer

Alex Murphy (Movie Character) A fictional cop from the RoboCop franchise.

Anthony Murphy (cricketer) (born 1962), English cricketer

Arthur Murphy, several people:

Arthur Murphy (writer) (1727–1805), Irish actor and playwright

Arthur H. Murphy (1831–1903), entrepreneur and political figure in Quebec, Canada

Arthur P. Murphy (1870–1914), American Republican politician

Audie Murphy (1925–1971), American war hero and actor

Austin J. Murphy (born 1927), Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania

Barnes Murphy (born 1947), former Gaelic footballer for Sligo

Bob Murphy, several people, see Robert Murphy

Bos Murphy (1924–2000), New Zealander boxer of the 1940s and '50s

Brian Murphy, several people:

Brian Murphy (actor) (born 1933), British actor most noted for his role as George Roper in the sitcom George and Mildred

Brian Murphy (baseball) (born 1980), American college baseball coach

Brian Murphy (politician) (born 1961), former mayor of Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada

Brian Murphy (cricketer) (born 1976), former captain of the Zimbabwean cricket team

Brian Murphy (dual player) (born 1952), former hurler and Gaelic footballer with Cork, Ireland

Brian Murphy (soccer player) (born 1983), currently playing for Portsmouth F.C.

Brian Murphy (politician) (born 1956), first to win independent race in his town

Brian Murphy (hurler, born 1982) (born 1982), corner-back on the Cork, Ireland, senior hurling team

Brian Murphy (writer) (born 1959), religion editor for the Associated Press

Buddy Murphy, Australian professional wrestler

Calvin Murphy (born 1948), American retired basketball player

Charles Murphy, several people:

Charles Murphy (1880–1958), Irish politician more commonly referred to as Cathal Ó Murchadha

Charles Murphy (architect) (1890–1985), the Chicago-based architect of C.F. Murphy Associates, later Murphy/Jahn Inc.

Charles Murphy (Canadian politician) (1862–1935)

Charles Francis Murphy (1858–1924), American political figure

Charles Minthorn Murphy (1870–1950), a.k.a. "Mile-a-Minute" Murphy, American cyclist

Charles Quinton Murphy (born 1959), American writer, actor, and stand-up comedian

Charles Terrence Murphy (Canadian politician) (born 1926), Canadian politician

Chris Murphy (born 1973), United States Senator from Connecticut

Cillian Murphy (born 1976), Irish actor

Colin Murphy, several people:

Colin Murphy, Irish comedian

Colin Murphy (ice hockey) (born 1980), Canadian ice-hockey player

a different, Anglicized, spelling of Colm Murphy (born 1952), Irish, alleged suspect in the Omagh bombing

Conor Murphy, Sinn Féin politician in Northern Ireland

Dale Murphy, several people:

Dale Murphy (born 1956), American retired baseball player

Dale D. Murphy, professor at Georgetown University

Daniel Murphy, several people

Danny Murphy, several people

Darren Murphy (1961–2012) bassist with Indie band Wasted Youth.

Darren Murphy, Irish professional football player

Daryl Murphy, Irish professional football player

David Murphy, several people:

David Murphy (baseball) (born 1981), American

David Murphy, CIA's station chief in Berlin from 1959–1961

David Murphy (footballer) (born 1984), English

David Lee Murphy (born 1959), American country music singer-songwriter

Dick Murphy (born 1942), American retired Republican politician

Donald E. Murphy (born 1960), American Republican politician

Donnie Murphy (born 1983), American Baseball Player

Derek Murphy, (born 1968) American Rapper a.k.a. Sadat X

Eddie Murphy, several people:

Eddie Murphy (born 1961), American comedian and actor

Eddie Murphy (1891–1969), American baseball player

Edgar Gardner Murphy (1869–1913), American clergyman and author

Edward Murphy, several people, most notably:

Major Edward A. Murphy, Jr. 1918–1990, American aerospace engineer linked with Murphy's law

Elliott Murphy (born 1949), American singer/songwriter

Erik Murphy (born 1990), American–Finnish basketball player

Everett J. Murphy (1852–1922), politician

Francis Murphy, several people:

Francis Murphy (bishop) (1795–1858), Australian bishop

Francis Murphy (evangelist) (1836–1907), American temperance evangelist

Francis P. Murphy (1877–1958), Republican 73rd Governor of New Hampshire

Francis X. Murphy (1915–2002), Catholic theologian and chaplain

Frank Murphy, several people:

Frank Murphy (1890–1949), former Justice of the United States Supreme Court

Frank Murphy (American football) (born 1977), former NFL player

Frank Murphy (rugby player) (born 1981), Irish professional rugby union player

B. Frank Murphy (1867–1938), US Representative from Ohio

Fred Murphy, several people

Fred Murphy, American cinematographer

Fred J. Murphy, American football coach

Fred Murphy, American gridiron football player

Gary Murphy (1971) Irish Mathematician and inventor of the Dyson shirt dryer

Geoffrey Mostyn Murphy (1922–2011), Australian boxer, better known as Tommy Burns

Glen Murphy (1957) English Actor

George Murphy (1902–1992, American dancer, actor, and Republican Senator

Henry Murphy, several people:

Henry Murphy (1877–1954), American architect

Henry Cruse Murphy (1810–1882), American politician from New York and US minister to the Netherlands

Isaac Murphy, two people:

Isaac Murphy (1802–1882), Republican Governor of Arkansas

Isaac Burns Murphy (1861–1896), American Hall of Fame jockey

Jack Murphy, several people:

Jack Murphy (Irish politician) (1920–1984), Irish republican and independent politician

Jack Murphy (footballer) (born 1918), retired Australian Rules footballer

Jack Murphy (sportswriter) (1923–1980), American sportswriter and brother of Bob Murphy

Jack M. Murphy (1925–1984), Republican Lieutenant Governor of Idaho

Jack Roland Murphy (born 1938), a.k.a. Murph the Surf, American, convicted robber and murderer

James or Jimmy Murphy, several people:

James Murphy (electronic musician) (born 1970), American

James Murphy (metal guitarist) (born 1967), American heavy metal guitarist

James Murphy, retired American soccer player

James "Quick" Murphy (born 1959), retired Canadian football player

James A. Murphy III, District Attorney, Saratoga County, New York

James Anthony Murphy (1894–1924), "Jimmy" Murphy, American racing driver

James J. Murphy (1898–1962), a United States Representative from New York

James William Murphy (1858–1927), a United States Representative from Wisconsin

Jimmy Murphy (cartoonist) (1891–1965), cartoonist of Toots and Casper comic strip

Jimmy Murphy (footballer) (1910–1989), Welsh football player and manager

Jimmy Murphy, (1925–1981), American Country musician

Jimmy Murphy (playwright) (born 1962), Irish playwright

Jim Murphy, several people:

Jim Murphy, (born 1967), British Labour Party politician

Jim Murphy, (born 1947), American author

Jim Murphy, (born 1942), former Scottish professional footballer

Jim Murphy, (born 1957), member of the Texas House of Representatives

John Murphy, several people:

John Murphy (Alabama) (1786–1841), American Democratic Governor and Congressman from Alabama

John Murphy, American football announcer for the Buffalo Bills

John Murphy (Australian politician) (born 1950), member of the House of Representatives

John Murphy (Australian rules footballer) (born 1949), former champion player with the Fitzroy Football Club in the 1960s and 1970s

John Murphy (baseball infielder) (died 1949), a.k.a. Soldier Boy, a baseball infielder

John Murphy, a 19th-century baseball pitcher

John Murphy (Canadian politician) (born 1937), member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993–1997

John Murphy (composer) (born 1965), British composer of film scores

John Murphy, financial market analyst

John Murphy (footballer, born 1976) (born 1976), English striker for Chester City

John Murphy (musician) (born 1959), sometimes credited as "Jonh Murphy", Australian drummer and multi-instrument musician

John Murphy (playwright) (1929–1998), Irish dramatist, author of The Country Boy.

John Murphy (swimmer) (born 1953), retired American Olympic gold medalist in swimming

Father John Murphy (1753–1798), one of the leaders during the Irish Rebellion of 1798

John A. Murphy (born 1927), Irish historian and former independent Senator from Cork

John Alphonsus Murphy, American Medal of Honor recipient

John Benjamin Murphy (1857–1916), American surgeon, president of the American Medical Association in 1911

John E. Murphy (1869–1941), United States Navy sailor and Medal of Honor recipient during the Spanish–American War

John Francis Murphy (1853–1921), American landscape painter

John J. Murphy (born 1959), American Republican politician

John Michael Murphy, US Congressman from New York, implicated in Abscam

John W. Murphy (1902–1962), American Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania

John W. Murphy, former mayor of New Haven, Connecticut

Joseph Murphy, several people

Kevin Murphy, several people:

Kevin Murphy (actor) (born 1956), American actor, author and puppeteer

Kevin Murphy (linebacker) (born 1963), retired American football player

Kevin Murphy (ombudsman)

Kevin Murphy, American screenwriter, television producer, and composer

Kevin Murphy (swimmer) (born 1949), "King of the Channel" title holder for crossing the English Channel

Kevin M. Murphy, economist and professor at the University of Chicago

Lambert Murphy (1885–?), American tenor, sang at the Metropolitan Opera

Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. (born 1974), American singer, winner of season 6 of America's Got Talent

Larry Murphy (born 1961), Canadian retired professional ice hockey player

Lionel Murphy (born 1922), Australian politician and jurist

Loren E. Murphy (1882–1963), American jurist

Marc Murphy (born 1987), Australian rules footballer

Mark Murphy, several people:

Mark Murphy (safety b. 1958) (born 1958), retired American football player

Mark Murphy (safety b. 1955) (born 1955), retired American football player, now President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers

Mark Murphy (singer) (born c. 1932), American jazz singer

Martin Murphy, several people

Matt Murphy, several people:

Matt Murphy (American football) (born 1980), American football player

Matt Murphy (blues guitarist) (born 1927), a.k.a. Matt "Guitar" Murphy, an American musician

Matt Murphy (Canadian musician)

Matt Murphy, an American Republican Senator

Matt Murphy (wrestler) (born 1979), a.k.a. "All That" Matt Murphy, a retired American professional wrestler

Michael Murphy, several people:

Michael Murphy (actor) (born 1938), American actor

Michael Murphy (author) (born 1930), American Integral Movement author and co-founder of the Esalen Institute

Michael Murphy (diver) (born 1973), retired Australian Olympic diver

Michael Murphy (New Jersey politician) (born 1949), New Jersey lobbyist, former Prosecutor and candidate for Governor

Michael Murphy (priest) (c. 1767 – 1798), co-leader in the Irish Rebellion of 1798

Michael Murphy (singer) (born 1986), New Zealand Idol runner up

Michael Murphy (VC) (c. 1837 – 1893), Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross

Michael Bryan Murphy, former lead singer of REO Speedwagon

Michael D. Murphy, United States Air Force Colonel under charges for falsely claiming to be an attorney

Michael P. Murphy (1976–2005), United States Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient, killed in action in Afghanistan

Michael Martin Murphey (born 1945, American singer and songwriter

Mick Murphy (Sinn Féin politician) (born 1942)

Mickey Murphy,(Gaelic footballer), Tyrone and Galbally Pearses midfielder

Mike Murphy, several people:

Mike Murphy (broadcaster) (born 1941), retired Irish broadcaster

Mike Murphy, retired ice hockey player and head coach, currently NHL vice-president of hockey operations

Mike Murphy, ice hockey player for the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League

Mike Murphy (New Brunswick politician) (born 1958), Canadian lawyer and Liberal politician

Mike Murphy (political consultant) (born 1962), American Republican political consultant

Mike Murphy, Democratic Treasurer of the State of Washington

Nicholas Murphy (born 1978), Gaelic footballer

Nicholas Daniel Murphy (1811–1890), Irish politician from Cork, Member of Parliament (MP) 1865–1880

Nick Murphy, several people:

Nick Murphy (American football) (born 1979), American football player

Nick Murphy (footballer born 1946) (born 1946), English footballer

Nick Murphy (footballer born 1966) (1966–1998), English footballer

Nick Murphy (writer) (born 1977), Irish writer

Oakes Murphy (1849–1908), Two-time Governor of Arizona Territory

Pat Murphy, several people

Patrick Murphy (baseball), American baseball pitcher

Paul Murphy, several people

Peter Murphy, several people:

Peter Murphy (artist) (born 1959), English Stuckist artist

Peter Murphy (footballer born 1980) (born 1980), Irish international footballer

Peter Murphy, American lawyer and officer in the United States Marine Corps

Peter Murphy (musician) (born 1957), British musician with Bauhaus

Peter Murphy (politician) (born 1949), American politician, Member of the Maryland House of Delegates

Peter Murphy (UK footballer) (1922–1975), a.k.a. "Spud" Murphy, English footballer

Peter Murphy (executive) American entertainment executive

Philip D. Murphy (born 1957), ambassador

Richard Murphy, several people:

Dick Murphy (Richard M. Murphy) (born 1942), American retired Republican politician

Richard Murphy, Scottish architect

Richard Murphy (poet) (born 1927), Irish poet

Richard Murphy (screenwriter) (1912–1993), American film and television writer

Richard L. Murphy (1875–1936), American Senator from Iowa

Richard W. Murphy (born 1929), American diplomat

Rob Murphy, several people:

Rob Murphy (born 1960), American retired baseball player

Rob Murphy, American assista basketball coach

Rob Murphy (football player) (born 1977), professional Canadian football player

Rob Murphy (ice hockey) (born 1969), Canadian retired ice hockey player

Robert Murphy, several people:

Irish Bob Murphy (1922–1961), American light heavyweight boxer

Bob Murphy (announcer) (1924–2004), American baseball announcer

Bob Murphy (golfer) (born 1943), American PGA winning golfer

Bob Murphy, Canadian jazz pianist

Robert Murphy (Australian rules footballer) (born 1982), Australian rules football

Robert C. Murphy (1926–2000), American lawyer and judge

Robert Cushman Murphy (1887–1973), American ornithologist

Robert Daniel Murphy (1894&ndas1978), American diplomat

Robert F. Murphy, American retired Republican politician, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1957 to 1961

Robert F. Murphy (anthropologist) (1924–1990), American anthropologist

Robert P. Murphy (born 1976), American economist and author

Robert S. Murphy (1861–1912), American politician, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 1907 to 1911

Roger P. Murphy, American legislator and jurist

Ryan Murphy, two people:

Ryan Murphy (Australian rules footballer) (born 1985)

Ryan Murphy, American television writer, director and producer

Scott Murphy, two people:

Scott Murphy, former US Representative for New York's 20th congressional district

Scott Murphy, a programmer behind the Space Quest series

Sean Murphy, several people:

Sean Murphy, cartoonist

Sean Murphy, professor at Royal Holloway, University of London

Seán Murphy, retired Irish football player

Sean Murphy (golfer) (born 1965), American professional golfer

Sean Murphy (journalist) (born 1958), Australian journalist

Sean Murphy, a fictional character on the television series Oz

Sean Murphy (racer) (born 1984)

Shaun Murphy, several people:

Shaun Murphy (cue sports) (born 1982), English snooker player

Shaun Murphy (footballer) (born 1970), retired Australian soccer player

note: there also is a woman of this name: Shaun Murphy, a.k.a. Stoney, American singer

Shawn Murphy, several people

Sydney Murphy (born 1960), retired Vincentian cricketer

Timothy Murphy, several people:

Tim Murphy (born 1959), retired Canadian politician

Tim Murphy, a fictional character in Jurassic Park

Tim Murphy (congressman) (born 1952), American Republican politician

Tim Murphy, currently at Harvard University

Timothy Murphy (1751–1818), sniper in the American Revolutionary War

Timothy D. Murphy (died 1928), a.k.a. "Big Tim", Chicago mobster and labour racketeer

Timothy J. Murphy (died 1949), Irish Labour Party politician

Timothy Patrick Murphy (1959–1988), American film and television actor

Thomas Murphy (or Tom), several people

Tom Murphy (athlete) (born 1935), American middle distance runner

Troy Murphy, power forward for the Boston Celtics

Vincent B. Murphy, NYS Comptroller 1925–1926

Vincent J. Murphy, Mayor of Newark 1941–1949

Wendell H. Murphy, North Carolina politician

William Murphy, several people

Yale Murphy (1869–1906), American baseball player

Yo Murphy, football player, CFL, NFL

Women

Brittany Murphy (1977–2009), American actress

Dervla Murphy (born 1931), travel writer

Carolyn Murphy (born 1975), American model

Donna Murphy (born 1958), American Tony Award-winning actress

Erin Murphy, several people:

Erin Murphy (born 1964), American actress

Erin Murphy, American poet

Erin Murphy (politician) (born 1960), Minnesota politician

Gail C. Murphy, Canadian computer scientist

Gillian Murphy, principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre

Julie Murphy (born 1961), Welsh singer

Julie Murphy (author), American novelist

Kelly Murphy (born 1977), American author and illustrator

Margaret Mary Healy Murphy (1833–1907), American Catholic nun

Mary Murphy, several people:

Mary Murphy (actress) (born 1931), American actress

Mary Murphy, American choreographer

Mary Murphy (politician) (born 1940), American politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives

Róisín Murphy (born 1973), Irish electronica singer, songwriter, and producer

Shaun Murphy (singer), a.k.a. Stoney, American singer

Fictional entities

Murphy, the eponymous protagonist in Samuel Beckett's first published novel

Murphy, one of the three protagonists from Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson, and the rebel of the gang

Murphy Brown, the lead character in the television show Murphy Brown, a recovering alcoholic, who, in the show's first episode, returns to the fictional news magazine FYI for the first time following a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic

Murphy Cooper, character in the film Interstellar (2014), named after Murphy's Law

Murphy MacManus, one of the two main characters from the movie The Boondock Saints

Murphy Pendleton, the protagonist of the video game Silent Hill: Downpour

Captain Murphy from the Adult Swim animated series Sealab 2021

Alex James Murphy, the police officer who became RoboCop

Alexis "Lex" Murphy, a character in Jurassic Park

"Bleeding Gums" Murphy, a character on the cartoon television series The Simpsons

Bridey Murphy, historical character in a hypnotic regression case detailed in Bernstein's The Search for Bridey Murphy

Dr. Colin Murphy, character on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives

Eric Murphy, character in the HBO series Entourage

Hank Murphy, character in the TV series Sullivan & Son (2012)

John Murphy, character on the CW show The 100

Karrin Murphy, is a police detective and head of SI, a friend to Harry Dresden, and major character in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files

Professor Michael Murphy, the protagonist in the Babylon Rising series by Dr Tim LaHaye

Naiada Murphy, a character in book Naiada and the Mystery of the Hidden Diary by Ms. Nathalie de Gabriele Ferrante

Randle Patrick McMurphy, one of the main characters in Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1962)

Ray Murphy, birth name of Gino Esposito, a character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Sean Murphy, an Irish correctional officer in the HBO drama Oz

Susan Murphy, aka Ginormica, is one of the main protagonists of Monsters vs. Aliens.

References

Murphy Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

Men

Women

Fictional entities

References