A bstract A measurement of the inclusive cross section for the process pp → $ {\text{b}}\overline {\text{b}} {\text{X}} $ → μμX ′ at $ \sqrt {s} = 7 $ TeV is presented, based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 27.9 pb −1 collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. By selecting pairs of muons each with pseudorapidity | η | < 2.1, the value σ (pp → $ {\text{b}}\overline {\text{b}} {\text{X}} $ → μμX ′) = 26.4 ± 0.1 (stat.) ±2.4 (syst.) ±1.1 (lumi.) nb is obtained for muons with transverse momentum p T > 4 GeV, and 5.12 ± 0.03 (stat.) ± 0.48 (syst.) ± 0.20 (lumi.) nb for p T > 6 GeV. These results are compared to QCD predictions at leading and next-to-leading orders.