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    The first name Maria

    A girl’s name from Hebrew.

    Pronounced /məˈɹiːə/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Hebrew origin

    Borrowed from Latin Maria, borrowed from Koine Greek Μᾰρῐ́ᾱ (Mărĭ́ā), borrowed from Aramaic מרים, borrowed from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם (miryɔm). Doublet of Mary, Marie, and Miriam.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 522 girls were named Maria, making it the 88th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2016, with 853 births (#69).

    0450900 1996200020052010201520202025
    17,826
    babies named Maria, 1996–2025
    #88
    rank in 2025
    2016
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Maria with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Maria at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 2,887 girls born in the United States were named Maria, the 87th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1964, when 10,148 were.

    010,00020,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    570,389
    babies named Maria since 1880
    #87
    rank in 2025
    1964
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Maria

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Maria

    835 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Rainer Maria Rilke
      Austrian poet and writer (1875–1926)
    • Erich Maria Remarque
      German-born novelist (1898–1970)
    • Maria Göppert Mayer
      German-born American theoretical physicist (1906-1972)
    • Maria Meneghini Callas
      American-Greek operatic soprano (1923–1977)
    • Maria Ressa
      Filipino journalist, born 1963
    • Maria Sibylla Merian
      German-Dutch entomologist, botanist, naturalist, scientific illustrator, graphic artist, p, 1647–1717
    • Maria Mitchell
      American astronomer, 1818–1889
    • Maria Schneider
      French actress (1952-2011)
    • Maria Bello
      American actress, born 1967
    • Maria Kaczyńska
      First Lady of Poland (1942-2010)
    • Maria Bakalova
      Bulgarian actress, born 1996
    • Maria Anna Mozart
      Austrian musician, 1751–1829

    More Hebrew girls’ names

    All 346 names of Hebrew origin

    Questions

    What does the name Maria mean?
    Borrowed from Latin Maria, borrowed from Koine Greek Μᾰρῐ́ᾱ (Mărĭ́ā), borrowed from Aramaic מרים, borrowed from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם (miryɔm). Doublet of Mary, Marie, and Miriam.
    What is the origin of the name Maria?
    Borrowed from Latin Maria, borrowed from Koine Greek Μᾰρῐ́ᾱ (Mărĭ́ā), borrowed from Aramaic מרים, borrowed from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם (miryɔm). Doublet of Mary, Marie, and Miriam.
    How popular is the name Maria?
    In 2025, 522 girls born in England and Wales were named Maria, ranking 88th. Its peak was 2016, with 853 births.
    What are nicknames for Maria?
    Common nicknames for Maria include Marietta, Masha.
    Is Maria a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 570,389 US babies named Maria since 1880 were girls.
    When was Maria most popular?
    1964 in the United States, when 10,148 babies were named Maria, its highest rank at 41st.
    How do you pronounce Maria?
    Maria is /məˈɹiːə/, 3 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Maria?
    Maya, Mariah and Marilla.
    Is Maria also a surname?
    Yes. Maria is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.