Declining since 1997, #447 for girls today.
Popularity of Mariah since 1880
Babies named Mariah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 222 |
| 1890s | 256 |
| 1900s | 213 |
| 1910s | 308 |
| 1920s | 275 |
| 1930s | 187 |
| 1940s | 137 |
| 1950s | 115 |
| 1960s | 154 |
| 1970s | 1,656 |
| 1980s | 3,588 |
| 1990s | 44,603 |
| 2000s | 35,684 |
| 2010s | 22,500 |
| 2020s | 5,198 |
Meaning & origin
Mariah has been in use since at least 1880, but its popularity surged dramatically in the 1990s, reaching its peak rank in 1996. Since 1997, its usage has been steadily declining. As of 2025, it ranks 447th with a 1-in-2,319 frequency. The name is most popular in Delaware, Alabama, and Mississippi. Its etymology is often linked to the biblical Moriah, though the exact meaning remains debated.
Mariah is widely considered a variant of Moriah, a biblical place name where Abraham was tested. The name has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, with a notable boost in popularity from the singer Mariah Carey in the 1990s.
Where Mariah 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.
“Mariah” around the world
Where Mariah lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ria, Mia, Mary
Sibling names for Mariah
Names that share Mariah's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Mariah
Names whose popularity has moved with Mariah's over the last 50 years.
