Mayara

Meaning & origin

Mayara entered U.S. baby name records in 1999, a date that places it among the newer additions to the American naming landscape. Its rank of 14,942 in 2025 reflects modest usage, with roughly one in every 321,453 newborns receiving the name. The name reached its peak popularity in 2007, after which it declined, but it has been on an upward trajectory again since 2022. The vast majority of Mayara's use is concentrated among girls. The name remains especially uncommon in most states, and it has not appeared in any state's top 1000 lists. Its origins are uncertain, but it is often associated with Brazilian Portuguese culture, where it may be a variant of the indigenous Tupi name Maíra. The modern appeal of Mayara likely derives from its melodic, three-syllable sound that fits well with other contemporary names ending in 'ara'.

Mayara first appears in the late 1500s in records from Brazil, possibly as a Tupi Indian name for 'mother' or 'wise woman', but the connection is uncertain. It gained some popularity in Brazil in the 2000s and has since appeared sporadically in the United States. The name entered U.S. records in the 1990s and has a rising trajectory since the early 2020s.