Boy · #6,940 in 2026

Mare

A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old. The word can also be used for other female equine animals, particularly mules and zebras, but a female donkey is usually called a "jenny".

Current Rank
#6,940
Peak Rank
#1,810 (1969)
Total Babies
331
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2023
First Year
2023
Last Year
2023
Peak Year
#11156
Peak Rank
8
Total Count
1
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Mare

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old. The word can also be used for other female equine animals, particularly mules and zebras, but a female donkey is usually called a "jenny".

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The word mare , meaning "female horse", took several forms before A.D. 900. In Old English the form was mīere , mere or mȳre , the feminine forms for mearh (horse). The Old German form of the word was Mähre . Similarly, in Irish and Gaelic , the word was marc , in Welsh , march , in Cornish "margh", and in Breton marc'h . The word is "said to be of Gaulish origin." It is said by some writers to derive from Proto-Germanic * marhijō ("female horse"), from Proto-Germanic marhaz ("horse"), from Proto-Indo-European * markos ("horse"). The word has no known cognates beyond Germanic and Celtic . Howe

The Story of Mare

Mare first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1947, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1969, when 21 Mares were born — ranking #1,810 that year. As of 2026, Mare ranks #6,940 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 331 Mares have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Mare

Phonetically similar names — useful when Mare is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mare

What does the name Mare mean?
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old. The word can also be used for other female equine animals, particularly mules and zebras, but a female donkey is usually called a "jenny".
How popular is Mare in 2026?
In 2026, Mare ranks #6,940 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Mare most popular?
Mare reached its peak popularity in 1969, ranking #1,810 that year with 21 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Mare most popular?
Mare has historically been most popular in New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Mare.
Is Mare a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Mare is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Mare?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Mare include Excell, Richrd, Dolph. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Mare

Mare is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1947 and has accumulated 331 births in the dataset. Mare's peak popularity came in 1969 when it ranked #1,810. Use the chart and map above to compare Mare's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.