Holding steady.
Popularity of Mart since 1880
Babies named Mart per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1958, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Mart's real moment was 1891.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 47 |
| 1890s | 55 |
| 1900s | 24 |
| 1910s | 93 |
| 1920s | 151 |
| 1930s | 95 |
| 1940s | 102 |
| 1950s | 180 |
| 1960s | 153 |
| 1970s | 91 |
| 1980s | 37 |
| 1990s | 6 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Mart is a compact, straightforward name that functions as a short form of Martin. In U.S. Social Security records, Mart first appeared in 1880 and saw its highest usage in 1891. The name has historically been given to boys, though its usage has been very low in recent decades, with no rank in the latest available year (2025). The trajectory suggests a stable but minimal presence, largely disappearing from common use after the early 20th century. Despite its rarity, Mart carries a classic, no-frills appeal, similar to other clipped names like Tom or Will.
Mart is a diminutive of Martin, itself from the Latin Martinus, a name derived from Mars, the Roman god of war. Martin was widely used across Europe in honor of Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop. The short form Mart became common in English, Dutch, and Estonian as an independent given name, particularly in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Marte, Märt
Sibling names for Mart
Names that share Mart's style, for a brother or sister.
