Maria Name Meaning

Maria is a Latin name, meaning “bitter” or “beloved.” It is the Latin form of the Hebrew name “Miriam” which was the name of Moses‘ sister in the Bible. Maria was also the name of a number of early Christian saints and queens.

History of the Name Maria

The name Maria has a long and rich history, dating back to ancient times. In the Bible, Maria is the name of Moses’ sister, who was known for her wisdom and intelligence. The name Maria was also used by a number of early Christian saints and queens, who were known for their strength and devotion to their faith.

Throughout history, the name Maria has been popular among European and Latin American cultures, particularly in countries like Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Mexico. The name was brought to the Americas by Spanish and Portuguese settlers and it’s been widely used in these countries ever since.

Popularity of the Name Maria

Maria has been a consistently popular name for girls throughout history. As of 2021, Maria is one of the most popular name for girls in the United States, and it’s ranked as the #80 most popular name for girls in the United States. It’s also popular in other countries like Mexico, Spain, Italy, and Portugal.

Final Thoughts on the Name Maria

Maria is a classic and timeless name that has a strong and powerful meaning. It’s perfect for a girl who is strong, intelligent and devoted. The name Maria has a classic and elegant feel to it and it’s perfect for a girl who is destined for greatness.

In conclusion, Maria is a classic and timeless name that has a strong and powerful meaning. It’s been a consistently popular name for girls throughout history, particularly in Europe and Latin America. Maria is perfect for a girl who is strong, intelligent, and devoted. If you’re looking for a classic and elegant name for your baby girl, Maria might just be the perfect choice for you!

Infographic of Maria name meaning, which is A variant form of Mary, Maria means of the sea or bitter.
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Maria Name Popularity

How popular is the name Maria? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 136 567 0.161%
1911 131 604 0.1622%
1912 134 793 0.1572%
1913 134 867 0.1529%
1914 136 1,069 0.1534%
1915 150 1,238 0.1363%
1916 160 1,224 0.1267%
1917 149 1,404 0.1403%
1918 149 1,494 0.1392%
1919 139 1,637 0.1563%
1920 131 1,891 0.1701%
1921 130 1,994 0.1741%
1922 132 1,890 0.1696%
1923 133 1,958 0.1748%
1924 120 2,265 0.195%
1925 115 2,314 0.2047%
1926 116 2,315 0.2105%
1927 107 2,561 0.2314%
1928 105 2,522 0.2357%
1929 100 2,500 0.2414%
1930 102 2,502 0.2395%
1931 111 2,138 0.2166%
1932 121 1,998 0.2022%
1933 126 1,796 0.1928%
1934 117 1,952 0.2019%
1935 117 1,944 0.2%
1936 121 1,938 0.2012%
1937 127 1,898 0.1926%
1938 122 1,965 0.1919%
1939 121 2,022 0.1988%
1940 120 2,088 0.1964%
1941 104 2,430 0.2159%
1942 98 2,778 0.22%
1943 104 2,835 0.2172%
1944 80 3,329 0.2686%
1945 86 3,270 0.2681%
1946 90 3,922 0.2658%
1947 79 4,685 0.2807%
1948 75 4,797 0.3005%
1949 72 5,093 0.3166%
1950 73 5,051 0.3137%
1951 75 5,212 0.3074%
1952 72 5,687 0.3258%
1953 68 5,961 0.3368%
1954 65 6,582 0.3601%
1955 69 6,196 0.3369%
1956 74 6,705 0.355%
1957 71 6,762 0.3514%
1958 65 6,892 0.3647%
1959 62 7,237 0.3809%
1960 59 7,528 0.3973%
1961 57 7,936 0.4204%
1962 49 9,085 0.4949%
1963 43 9,828 0.5475%
1964 41 10,136 0.5758%
1965 46 9,471 0.5792%
1966 44 9,110 0.5835%
1967 42 8,865 0.5842%
1968 41 8,368 0.5573%
1969 40 8,378 0.5438%
1970 39 8,674 0.5451%
1971 37 8,114 0.54%
1972 32 7,698 0.5652%
1973 31 7,651 0.5902%
1974 31 7,778 0.5984%
1975 31 7,520 0.5852%
1976 34 7,342 0.5697%
1977 36 7,080 0.5252%
1978 36 7,009 0.5213%
1979 37 7,328 0.5197%
1980 36 7,861 0.5376%
1981 40 7,670 0.5218%
1982 42 7,342 0.4913%
1983 43 6,845 0.4639%
1984 50 6,123 0.4116%
1985 52 6,002 0.3954%
1986 49 6,128 0.406%
1987 53 5,667 0.3714%
1988 60 5,705 0.3661%
1989 56 6,332 0.3924%
1990 47 7,183 0.4334%
1991 45 7,126 0.4372%
1992 45 7,082 0.4437%
1993 45 6,964 0.4467%
1994 47 6,751 0.4399%
1995 44 6,996 0.4642%
1996 37 7,593 0.5071%
1997 38 7,307 0.494%
1998 43 6,809 0.4549%
1999 40 7,024 0.469%
2000 41 6,848 0.4483%
2001 41 6,837 0.4538%
2002 40 6,375 0.4254%
2003 42 6,081 0.3997%
2004 42 5,749 0.3772%
2005 46 5,593 0.3658%
2006 46 5,597 0.3574%
2007 53 5,119 0.3244%
2008 63 4,573 0.2959%
2009 70 4,123 0.2759%
2010 86 3,412 0.2368%
2011 92 3,204 0.2249%
2012 101 3,020 0.2119%
2013 111 2,795 0.1963%
2014 113 2,757 0.1892%
2015 109 2,812 0.1933%
2016 113 2,792 0.1936%
2017 112 2,685 0.1924%
2018 115 2,571 0.1871%
2019 105 2,688 0.1986%
2020 109 2,412 0.1895%
2021 103 2,410 0.1971%
2022 91 2,817 0.2135%

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Data via SSA.gov.


Names Like Maria

If you like Maria, you’ll love these other names like Maria.


What names are variants of Maria?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Maria.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Maree

Star of the sea

Latin

Mariah

Of the sea

English

Marialena

Star of the sea

Latin

Marialinda

Star of the sea

Latin

Marialisa

Star of the sea

Latin

Marie

A French form of Mary.

French

Marieanne

Star of the sea

Latin

Marielena

Star of the sea

Latin

Marietta

An Italian diminutive form of Mary.

French

Mariette

Star of the sea

Latin

Marika

Form of Mary

Danish, Polish

Marja

Star of the sea

Latin

Marya

Star of the sea

Latin

Mayra

Form of Mary

Irish

Mayria

Star of the sea

Latin

Moraiah

Star of the sea; the hill country

Latin

Moriah

The hill country

Hebrew


What names sound like Maria?

If you like how Maria sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Maria.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Mara

Bitter

Hebrew

Marra

Everlasting; bitter

Latin

Moria

Star of the sea

Irish


What names are similar to Maria?

Find a name that’s like Maria, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Mai
Malia

Of the sea

Polynesian

Marlene

A variant form, regarded as German, of Madeline.

German

Melita

Honey-sweet

Greek

Mercedes

Mercies

Spanish

Mimi

A diminutive form of Miriam and, through the French, of Wilhelmina.

French


Lists With Maria

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Maria.


Siblings of Maria

Mamas with kids named Maria also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Robert

Bright fame

German

Philip

Horse lover

Greek

Matthew

Gift of God

Hebrew

Stephen

Crown

English

Martin

Of Mars

Latin

Nevaeh

Heaven

American

Julia

Youthful and downy

Latin

Kosta

Constant, Steadfast

Bulgarian

19 Comments

  1. A very international name to pick with lots of history. Found out it means white cow in Arabic

  2. I never liked my name as a child or young girl. But in the last 30 plus years l have embraced it. It suits my character.

    • I ma so happy

      • we named her after her grandma

  3. We named her after my Aunt

  4. The idea was mother of Jesus. I call her Mary or maria if I’m addressing her in Swahili.

  5. We named our Maria for Our Lady of Guadalupe. I’m Mexican, and I brought a painting of her to my delivery room, which had also carried me through a miscarriage and 2 years of infertility. I had painted her holding baby Jesus (the original image depicts her pregnant), and she just gave me so much peace, seeing her lovingly gaze at her baby like I’d gaze at mine someday.
    She inspired me during pregnancy and labor, and since my husband also has a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Maria just seemed like the perfect name for our little rainbow baby 🙂

  6. My mom’s middle name is Marie but I switched the “e” to “a” to make it go better with my oldest daughter’s name!

    • wow same thing happened to me

  7. We chose to name our daughter after our Heavenly Mother, the blessed Virgin Mary. Our life, our sweetness, and our hope, guard our child and pray for us.

    Visit vaticancathlolic.com for crucial information for your salvation.

  8. My name is Maria. I never liked it. It sounded like a fat girl name. When I was 30 I fell in love with a man who said it with such reverence that it sounded like he was talking to the Mother of Jesus ..it was then I fell in love with the sound of my own name I’m 71 now and if anyone calls be by anything but my proper name I’m sure to immediately tell them it’s Maria! It was my grandmother’s name and I’m proud to have it

  9. I named her after my auntie, I always loved the name Maria

  10. I Do have 3 Boys I’ve like the name Maria never knew I would have a girl but I Did and I named her Maria

  11. Maria cuz his mom and stepmom
    And Fernanda cuz my oldest niece
    Im so in love to have my second blessed

  12. I fall in love with Hallie and Maria. Hallie is a streamlined variant of Harriet, while Maria makes me approachable.

  13. From the day we got engaged, we knew our first daughter would be Maria as the Latin form of Mary, Mother of Jesus! Well, after four amazing sons, we finally got to use it!
    It is a common name, but that also makes it easy to spell and pronounce!

  14. Mother of God!

  15. I always loved this name, because it’s classical, short and you never get tired of it. I love how it sounds, don’t you agree?

    She’s the sweetest little girl, always smiling and cheerful!

  16. It is a classical name, and I think it has a lot of strength.


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