Maria
Maria was the 87th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 2,887 babies. Its best year was 1975, when it ranked 30th; the most babies were born in 1964 (10,148). Over the last ten years it has moved up 22 places. More babies were named Maria in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin uncertain · Hebrew, Latin, Greek
Say it muh-REE-uh /məˈriə/
- Rank in 2025
- #87 girls, up 22 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 2,887girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 196410,148 babies
- Total since 1880
- 570,389babies recorded
What does the name Maria mean?
Maria is the Latin and Greek form of the Hebrew name Miryam (Miriam), borne by Mary, the mother of Jesus, and used in many languages. DMNES, under Mary, calls the original meaning uncertain: it is often linked with a root meaning 'bitter', while others suggest 'rebellion' or other senses. Wikipedia notes that Latin also had an unrelated Roman name Maria, the feminine of Marius, which merged with the biblical name. In Catholic countries Maria is also given to boys as a second name.
מִרְיָם (Biblical Hebrew, “Miryam”)Μαρία (Koine Greek, “Maria”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. The Hebrew name's meaning is uncertain; 'bitter' is the commonest suggestion but is not accepted as proven.
Other explanations you may read: Means 'bitter' or 'sea of bitterness'.
Related names: Mary, Marie, Miriam, Mariah, Mia.
See also: Hebrew names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Mary', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Maria', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Maria (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Maria
The usual nicknames for Maria are Mia and Ria. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 girls named Maria in the last five years, 396 were named Mia, against 116 twenty years earlier.
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are girls given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Marias go by each one.
Maria popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 4,278 since 1911, 6 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #87 | 2,887 |
| 2020 | #109 | 2,493 |
| 2010 | #86 | 3,421 |
| 2000 | #41 | 6,857 |
| 1990 | #47 | 7,186 |
| 1980 | #36 | 7,875 |
| 1970 | #39 | 8,686 |
| 1960 | #59 | 7,535 |
| 1950 | #73 | 5,076 |
| 1940 | #119 | 2,135 |
| 1930 | #99 | 2,540 |
| 1920 | #130 | 1,935 |
| 1910 | #132 | 621 |
| 1900 | #150 | 389 |
| 1890 | #142 | 247 |
| 1880 | #131 | 125 |
How popular is Maria, counting every spelling?
Maria is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #110 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #87 for Maria on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,887 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maria | 2,887 | #87 | 14,369 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Maria?
2,887 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Maria (0.80 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Maria born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 3 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Maria.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Maria?
About 459,600 people born in the US named Maria are alive today, with a median age of 46; half are between 28 and 61. That makes Maria mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Maria by state
How common Maria was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Nebraska (2.1×), Arizona (2.0×), District of Columbia (1.9×), Alaska (1.8×), Delaware (1.7×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Maine, Hawaii, West Virginia.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Maria: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Maria, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Maria · Sibling names for Maria
Questions about the name Maria
What does Maria mean?
The origin of Maria is uncertain: the Hebrew name's meaning is uncertain; 'bitter' is the commonest suggestion but is not accepted as proven.
How popular is the name Maria?
Maria was the 87th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 2,887 babies. Its best year was 1975, when it ranked 30th; the most babies were born in 1964 (10,148). Over the last ten years it has moved up 22 places. More babies were named Maria in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Maria a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Maria in the US.
Where is Maria most popular?
In 2021–2025, Maria was most common in Nebraska (3.70 per 1,000 girls), followed by Arizona and District of Columbia.