Molly

• Mollie

From Moll, diminutive lambdacism of Mary +‎ -y.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɒ.li/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmɑ.li/

Molly

1. A diminutive of Mary or, less often, Margaret.
   • 1866 Elizabeth Gaskell: Wives and Daughters: Chapter 6:

     "My name's Molly. It is an old-fashioned name, and I was christened Mary. But Papa likes Molly."

     "That's right. Keep to the good old fashions, dear."

     "Well, I must say I think Mary is prettier than Molly, and quite as old a name, too," said Mrs Hamley.

     "I think it was," said Molly, lowering her voice, and dropping her eyes, "because mamma was Mary, and I was called Molly when she lived."

   • 1928 Joyce Lankester Brisley: Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories. Chapter 1:

     But Mother and Father and Grandpa and Grandma and Uncle and Aunty couldn't very well call out "Millicent Margaret Amanda" every time they wanted her, so they shortened it to "Milly-Molly-Mandy" which is quite easy to say.

2. A female given name.

• → Irish: Mallaidh
• → Swedish: Molly

Molly (countable and uncountable, plural Mollies)

1. (Canada, US) The crystalline or powdered form of MDMA.
2. (historical) A Molly Maguire.

From English Molly. First recorded as a Swedish name in 1806.

Molly c (genitive Mollys)

1. A female given name.