Where does the name Maria come from?

Maria is a girl name of Latin origin.

Is Maria a boy or a girl name?

Maria is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 99% of children given the name Maria are girls and 1% are boys.

How popular is the name Maria in 2023?

Maria ranks #82 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1964 with 10,197 babies.

How do you pronounce Maria?

Maria is pronounced mah-REE-ah (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Maria?

Maria is also written as Mary, Marie, María.

A name from Latin · Girl

Maria

The Latin form of Mary, ultimately from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam). Carries the same beloved sense across Catholic, Orthodox, and Muslim traditions, and remains the most widely-given feminine name worldwide.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

560,102 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

2,907 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

MThe Latin form of Mary, ultimately from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam). Carries the same beloved sense across Catholic, Orthodox, and Muslim traditions, and remains the most widely-given feminine name worldwide.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Maria".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Mary Most common Marie María

Name family

Mary / Maryam / Miriam

The mother of Jesus (Isa). Maryam is the only woman named in the Qur’an, and Surah Maryam (19) bears her name. Miriam, sister of Moses, shares the Hebrew root.

Maria

Latin / Spanish / Italian

Marie

French

Maryah

Aramaic / Syriac

Quick answers

People often ask about Maria.

What does the name Maria mean?: Maria means the Latin form of Mary, ultimately from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam). Carries the same beloved sense across Catholic, Orthodox, and Muslim traditions, and remains the most widely-given feminine name worldwide.
Where does the name Maria come from?: Maria is a girl name of Latin origin.
Is Maria a boy or a girl name?: Maria is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 99% of children given the name Maria are girls and 1% are boys.
How popular is the name Maria in 2023?: Maria ranks #82 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1964 with 10,197 babies.
How do you pronounce Maria?: Maria is pronounced mah-REE-ah (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Maria?: Maria is also written as Mary, Marie, María.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.