Meaning:
Its source is monos, a Greek name meaning "Solitary."
Languages:
This girl's name is used in English, Italian and Spanish.
Nicknames: Mona and Monnie
Variant Forms: Lamonica and Monique
Non-English Forms: Monika
Popularity:
The name Monica ranked 182nd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 131st in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name was popular earlier in the 20th century, then fell off in usage, but has begun making a comeback in recent years.
Narrative:
This name might also be derived from either of two Latin sources: monere, meaning ''to advise,'' or nonnica, from the word for nun, nonna.
The most famous bearer of this name was Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine. She prayed for her son and saved him from self-destruction. As a result, Saint Augustine became one of the greatest saints in history.
