A 1950s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Marta since 1888
Babies named Marta per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1957, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Marta's real moment was 1950.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5 |
| 1890s | 6 |
| 1900s | 54 |
| 1910s | 206 |
| 1920s | 335 |
| 1930s | 560 |
| 1940s | 1,212 |
| 1950s | 4,163 |
| 1960s | 3,417 |
| 1970s | 2,378 |
| 1980s | 1,819 |
| 1990s | 1,384 |
| 2000s | 904 |
| 2010s | 637 |
| 2020s | 455 |
Meaning & origin
Marta is a cross-cultural classic, used across Spanish, Italian, Polish, and other European communities. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1888 and saw its peak popularity in 1950, when it ranked highest. In 2025, it ranked 2051st, with about 1 in 17,470 girls receiving the name. The name has been rising in use since 2014, suggesting a modest revival. Marta was most frequently given in Tennessee, Illinois, and California. The name shares roots with Martha and Martin, and its meaning ties to the Roman god Mars. Its simple, elegant sound has kept it in steady use for over a century.
Marta is the Spanish, Italian, Polish, Swedish, and other European form of Martha. It derives from the Latin Martinus, which is a derivative of Mars, the Roman god of war. The name thus originally meant 'of Mars' or 'dedicated to Mars.' It has been used across Europe for centuries, often favored in Catholic communities honoring Saint Martin of Tours.
Where Marta 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.
“Marta” around the world
Where Marta lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
60
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Martita, Marti, Marty
Sibling names for Marta
Names that share Marta's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Lucia, Elena, Clara, Sofia, Lena, Carla, Heidi, Karol, Lidia, Luisa, Petra, Trudi, Gretel, Jesusa, Liesel, Liesl, Simona, Agata, Grethel, Heidie, Hilde, Katarzyna, Kathe, Luise, Marija, Mirta, Nuria, Olena, Zuzanna, Agueda, Basia, Grettel, Michalina, Patrycja, Trude, Julita, Estera, Gabryela, Gunda, Irena, Justyna, Sanda
Brothers: Mateo, Julian, Lucas, Nicolas, Tomas, Hans, Jordi, Karl, Rainer, Adolf, Armin, Hansel, Roque, Andrej, Braun, Carles, Heinz, Henryk, Hilmer, Mateusz, Pawel, Arek, Artur, Bartosz, Bohdan, Celso, Dawid, Dietrick, Ebert, Eliberto, Elmar, Jerzy, Kert, Reiner, Feliks, Ferran, Franciszek, Hanz, Hartman, Josep, Marton, Rafel, Ricard, Sergi, Zigmond
