Mara
A female given name from Hebrew.
Every Mara since 1892 — 24,054 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Mara
Mara is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #589 in 2025 with 499 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1892, 24,054 American babies have been named Mara. Its peak came in 2021, when 568 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Mara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Mara year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 499 | #589 | — | — |
| 2024 | 515 | #589 | — | — |
| 2023 | 516 | #581 | — | — |
| 2022 | 478 | #620 | — | — |
| 2021 | 568 | #540 | — | — |
| 2020 | 463 | #628 | — | — |
| 2019 | 439 | #663 | — | — |
| 2018 | 432 | #676 | — | — |
| 2017 | 440 | #668 | — | — |
| 2016 | 427 | #686 | — | — |
| 2015 | 383 | #737 | — | — |
| 2014 | 409 | #694 | — | — |
| 2013 | 366 | #742 | — | — |
| 2012 | 336 | #798 | — | — |
| 2011 | 312 | #846 | — | — |
| 2010 | 308 | #868 | — | — |
| 2009 | 377 | #754 | — | — |
| 2008 | 355 | #811 | — | — |
| 2007 | 389 | #752 | — | — |
| 2006 | 415 | #683 | — | — |
| 2005 | 415 | #672 | — | — |
| 2004 | 427 | #642 | — | — |
| 2003 | 417 | #639 | — | — |
| 2002 | 420 | #608 | — | — |
| 2001 | 405 | #622 | — | — |
| 2000 | 418 | #606 | — | — |
| 1995 | 350 | #625 | — | — |
| 1990 | 443 | #538 | — | — |
| 1985 | 203 | #812 | — | — |
| 1980 | 259 | #674 | — | — |
| 1975 | 237 | #647 | — | — |
| 1970 | 286 | #607 | — | — |
| 1965 | 193 | #709 | — | — |
| 1960 | 152 | #841 | — | — |
| 1955 | 163 | #744 | — | — |
| 1950 | 94 | #921 | — | — |
| 1945 | 33 | #1,408 | — | — |
| 1940 | 19 | #1,874 | — | — |
| 1935 | 20 | #1,752 | — | — |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,505 | — | — |
| 1925 | 18 | #2,160 | — | — |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,239 | — | — |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,657 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Mara
- Mara Branković Politician · 1416–1487
- María Isabella of Spain Companion · 1789–1848
- María Félix Actor · 1914–2002
- María de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias Politician · 1880–1904
- María Casares Actor · 1922–1996
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Mara mean?
A female given name from Hebrew.
How popular is the name Mara in 2025?
Mara ranked #589 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 499 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Mara?
24,054 babies have been named Mara in the United States since 1892, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Mara most popular?
Mara peaked in 2021, when 568 newborns received the name.
Is Mara a boy or girl name?
Mara is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Mara rising or falling?
Mara is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Mara?
Well-known people named Mara include Mara Branković (politician), María Isabella of Spain (companion), María Félix (actor).