Mara
How to say it: MAH-ruh · /ˈmɑrə/
From Hebrew 'marah', meaning bitter (as used in the Book of Ruth); also a Slavic diminutive of Maria.
Mara was the 575th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 499 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up about 30% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #522 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #575 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 499 |
| Share of births | 1 in 6,643 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | +30% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #522 |
| In France, 2025 | #590 among girls’ names, 60 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Climbing steadily, Mara has found its best years in the 2020s. It stands at its high and looks set to keep rising.
What goes with it
Light and soft with a biblical theme that travels well. Mira goes well alongside it.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Mara is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #590 for girls in 2025.
Ireland: #345.
Famous people named Mara
- Mara Wilson (born 1987)American actress
- Mara Santangelo (born 1981)Italian tennis player
- Mara Navarria (born 1985)Italian fencer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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