Ma
Every Ma since 1924 — 631 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ma
Ma is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1924, 631 American babies have been named Ma. Its peak came in 1990, when 31 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ma stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ma year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | 7 | #13,288 |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | 5 | #18,497 |
| 2011 | 8 | #12,909 |
| 2010 | 6 | #16,184 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14,617 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,770 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,759 |
| 2006 | 6 | #16,321 |
| 2005 | 13 | #8,647 |
| 2004 | 11 | #9,635 |
| 2003 | 16 | #7,083 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,287 |
| 2001 | 16 | #6,841 |
| 2000 | 16 | #6,678 |
| 1995 | 24 | #4,299 |
| 1990 | 31 | #3,480 |
| 1985 | 14 | #5,225 |
| 1980 | 8 | #7,827 |
| 1975 | 6 | #8,615 |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | 7 | #5,593 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,570 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,627 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,902 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Ma
- Ma Chao Politician · 176–222
- Ma Teng Politician · 156–212
- Ma Ying-jeou Politician · b. 1950
- Ma Yuan Painter · 1160–1225
- Ma Barker Extremist · 1873–1935
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Ma in 2025?
Ma did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Ma?
631 babies have been named Ma in the United States since 1924, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ma most popular?
Ma peaked in 1990, when 31 newborns received the name.
Is Ma a boy or girl name?
Ma is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ma rising or falling?
Ma has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Ma?
Well-known people named Ma include Ma Chao (politician), Ma Teng (politician), Ma Ying-jeou (politician).