Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1990

Ma

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Ma
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1990
31 babies
All-time total
631
#10,198 all-time among girls
First recorded
1924
in Social Security records

Ma popularity over time

631 babies have been named Ma since 1924, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1990Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s 22 2 – #3,902
1930s 18 2 -18% #3,711
1940s 6 1 -67% #5,071
1950s 31 3 +417% #4,379
1960s 33 3 +6% #5,104
1970s 40 4 +21% #6,967
1980s 125 13 +213% #4,451
1990s 217 22 +74% #3,480
2000s 113 11 -48% #6,678
2010s 26 3 -77% #12,909
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

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.

How old are people named Ma?

The median living Ma is about 33 years old; half are between 26 and 42. An estimated 600 people named Ma are alive in the United States today.

median 33 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

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

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Ma Dong-seok Ma Dong-seok South Korean and American actor (born 1971) Contemporary
  2. 2 Ma Barker Ma Barker American mother of several criminals and Barker Gang leader (1873–1935) 19th century
  3. 3 Ma Rainey Ma Rainey American blues singer (1886–1939) 19th century
  4. 4 Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou President of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2016 b. 1950 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Mía Maestro Mía Maestro Argentine actress and singer (born 1978) Contemporary
  6. 6 Ma Bufang Ma Bufang Chinese warlord (1903–1975) Contemporary
  7. 7 Ma Huateng Ma Huateng Chinese businessman (born 1971) Contemporary
  8. 8 Mýa Mýa American singer and actress (born 1979) Contemporary
  9. 9 Ma Chao Ma Chao Chinese military general and warlord (176–222) Antiquity
  10. 10 Ma Lin Ma Lin Chinese table tennis player (born 1980) Contemporary
  11. 11 Ma Teng Ma Teng Chinese Han dynasty warlord (died 212) 156–212 · Antiquity
  12. 12 Ma Long Ma Long Chinese table tennis player (born 1988) Contemporary
  13. 13 Ma Huan Ma Huan Chinese translator, voyager, and writer (c. 1380–1460) Medieval
  14. 14 Ma Yuan Ma Yuan Chinese painter 1160–1225 · Medieval
  15. 15 Ma Jian Ma Jian Chinese-born British writer (born 1953) Contemporary
  16. 16 Ma Qinghua Ma Qinghua Chinese racing driver (born 1987) Contemporary
  17. 17 Ma Jin Ma Jin Chinese badminton player (born 1988) Contemporary
  18. 18 Ma Mingyu Ma Mingyu Chinese footballer (born 1970) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Ma, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Ma?

The median living Ma is about 33 years old. Half of all living Mas are between 26 and 42 years old.

How many people named Ma are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Ma are alive in the United States, based on 631 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

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 Dong-seok (actor), Ma Barker (extremist), Ma Rainey (musician).

Names like Ma

Names that sound and feel close to Ma: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Ma with similar names → More names starting with M →