Declining since 1996, #87 for girls today.
Popularity of Maria since 1880
Babies named Maria per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,732 |
| 1890s | 2,866 |
| 1900s | 4,174 |
| 1910s | 11,331 |
| 1920s | 22,584 |
| 1930s | 20,640 |
| 1940s | 35,571 |
| 1950s | 62,458 |
| 1960s | 88,850 |
| 1970s | 76,373 |
| 1980s | 65,778 |
| 1990s | 70,911 |
| 2000s | 57,007 |
| 2010s | 28,974 |
| 2020s | 16,862 |
Meaning & origin
Maria is a name of exceptional breadth and endurance, rooted in the Latin form of Mary. It entered the American naming landscape from the earliest records, appearing in the Social Security data since 1880. The name's popularity has been sustained by its deep religious significance and its adoption across countless immigrant communities. In the United States, Maria has maintained a steady presence: it ranked 87th in 2025, with roughly 1 in every 557 baby girls receiving the name. Its peak popularity came in 1966, when it was a top choice for a generation, and while it has been on a gradual decline since 1996, it remains familiar and beloved. The name is particularly common in areas with strong Hispanic and Catholic heritage, such as the District of Columbia, North Dakota, and New Mexico, where it often ranks higher than the national average. Maria's longevity and cross-cultural appeal have made it a true classic, woven into the fabric of American naming without ever feeling dated.
Maria is the Latin form of the Greek name Mariam or Maria, taken from the Hebrew Miryam. The precise meaning of Miryam is uncertain; interpretations include 'beloved' (from Egyptian mr 'love'), 'bitter', 'rebellious', or 'wished-for child'. As the name of the Virgin Mary, it spread throughout Christendom and became one of the most enduring feminine names in the Western world. Maria is used across many languages and cultures, including Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Arabic-speaking communities.
Where Maria is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Maria” around the world
Where Maria lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
#59
in 2024
Ireland
#74
in 2025
New Zealand
#100
in 2025
Quebec
#79
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mary, Ria
Sibling names for Maria
Names that share Maria's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Anna, Sophia, Elena, Lucia, Carmen, Andrea, Guadalupe, Juanita, Teresa, Eleni, Joana, Johana, Josefina, Katerina, Leonor, Lupe, Madonna, Monika, Tonia, Aleksandra, Cristi, Despina, Dominga, Elizabet, Jesusa, Jesusita, Josefa, Junita, Kasia, Rosaria, Sanjuana, Sanjuanita, Santa, Theresia, Analuisa, Aniela, Anjela, Betina, Deloras, Dimitra, Ekaterina, Evangelia, Fotini, Gaetana, Gianina, Giuseppina, Ioanna, Johanny, Juanda, Lurdes, Marisabel, Marycruz, Panagiota, Stavroula, Suzana, Tomasita, Tresia, Vasiliki, Virgen, Agnieszka, Anacristina, Andreea, Angeliki, Barba, Chinita, Ekaterini, Eleftheria, Juanetta, Mariaclara, Maricel, Marycarmen, Terasa, Teresia, Tereza, Toula, Chrisoula, Evagelia, Ewa, Jerusalen, Kyriaki, Madalina, Magdalina, Margaretha, Marsia, Panayiota, Pierina, Stanislawa
Brothers: Joseph, John, Michael, Anthony, David, Andres, Antonio, Carlos, Fernando, Francisco, Jesus, Jose, Juan, Julio, Luis, Manuel, Pedro, Stefan, Aleksandr, Domenick, Efrain, Efren, Eloy, Gaetano, Gino, Giovani, Giuseppe, Isidro, Johann, Joseangel, Josef, Jozef, Lucio, Montez, Rocco, Santo, Vinny, Vito, Andrei, Antonino, Athanasios, Christos, Dimitrios, Dionicio, Domenico, Geno, Ioannis, Jamon, Jeancarlos, Joao, Joseluis, Juancarlos, Juanpablo, Konstantinos, Krystian, Luigi, Luisangel, Luiz, Markanthony, Miguelangel, Mikeal, Miquel, Nikolaos, Nunzio, Panagiotis, Paulo, Rodriquez, Abrahan, Alexandru, Aloys, Anastasios, Andrzej, Angello, Aniello, Ascencion, Biagio, Carles, Christoph, Constantinos, Dimitris, Diogo, Emidio, Evangelos, Filipe, Froilan, Gaspare, Georg, Georgi, Georgios, Giannis, Guilherme, Guiseppe, Jacek, Jaun, Joachim, Joaquim, Johncarlos, Jorgeluis, Jorje, Jossue, Juanantonio, Juandiego, Juanito, Juanjose, Juanluis, Juanmanuel, Juliocesar, Krzysztof, Loreto, Loukas, Lukasz, Maksymilian, Martinez, Mateus, Nello, Nikolay, Nikos, Pawel, Petros, Piotr, Rodriguez, Rogerio, Sabas, Salvator, Sanchez, Spiros, Stanislaw, Stavros, Szymon, Tadeusz, Theodoros, Vasco, Yannis, Yianni, Yiannis, Zacarias, Angelos, Antonios, Apostolos, Calogero, Costas, Daniil, Elijio, Gerasimos, Haralambos, Harm, Heitor, Ion, Isais, Jjesus, Joaopedro, Johannes, Johncarlo, Joncarlos, Josean, Juanangel, Juandavid, Kostantinos, Kostas, Luisantonio, Luisfernando, Matei, Natalio, Nikolos, Pancho, Refujio, Rui, Sabatino, Salbador, Stefanos, Stelios, Tomasz, Vasilis, Veto, Vicent, Yanni, Eleftherios, Josejulian, Adriaan, Baudelio, Carmino, Cheo, Franciscojavier, Gianpaolo, Hernandez, Jacobus, Josealberto, Josecarlos, Joseguadalupe, Joseh, Josejuan, Josep, Juandaniel, Kyriakos, Luiscarlos, Luismanuel, Marios, Maximos, Nicolae, Nikolis, Nuno, Panayiotis, Pantelis, Pavlos, Pepe, Sanjuan, Sante, Segundo, Serapio, Sergei, Spyridon, Spyros, Stephanos, Victorhugo, Wladyslaw, Ysmael
Names like Maria
Names whose popularity has moved with Maria's over the last 50 years.
