Maria
Maria is a feminine given name. It is given in many languages influenced by Christianity.
Meaning & Origin of Maria
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Maria is a feminine given name. It is given in many languages influenced by Christianity.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Maria
Maria first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 125 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1964, when 10,147 Marias were born — ranking #41 that year. As of 2026, Maria ranks #70 for baby girls with 3,223 births, rising sharply (+16% over the past five years). In total, more than 570K Marias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Maria
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Maria I of Portugal (1734–1816), Queen of Portugal
- Maria II of Portugal (1818–1853), Queen of Portugal
- María de la Cerda (1319–1375), countess of Étampes
- Maria Brignole Sale De Ferrari (1811–1888), Italian duchess
- Maria Vittoria dal Pozzo (1847–1876), queen consort of Spain (1870–1873)
- María de la Consolación Azlor (1775–1814), the countess of Bureta
- Maria Margarida de Lorena, 2nd Duchess of Abrantes (1713–1780)
- Maria de' Medici (1575–1642), Queen of France
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Maria
Phonetically similar names — useful when Maria 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 Maria
What does the name Maria mean?
How popular is Maria in 2026?
When was Maria most popular?
In which U.S. states is Maria most popular?
Is Maria a unisex name?
What names go well with Maria?
About the name Maria
Maria is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 570K births in the dataset. Maria's peak popularity came in 1964 when it ranked #30. Use the chart and map above to compare Maria's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1964 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.