Mary
How to say it: MER-ee · /ˈmɛri/
English form of Miriam/Maria; variously interpreted as 'beloved', 'bitter', or 'wished-for child'.
Mary was the 156th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 2,230 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1880s, its births are down about 16% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #162 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 | #156 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 2,230 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,486 |
| Peak decade | 1880s |
| Change over 10 years | −16% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #162 |
| In France, 2025 | #999 among girls’ names, 25 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Once dominant in the 1880s, Mary has faded far from that height. Further slipping looks likely in the next few years.
What goes with it
Mellow and soft with a gentle mood, Mary carries a saint's name heritage. Elizabeth and Anna share its style.
Middle names that flow with Mary →
Nicknames
- Mae
- Mamie
- Molly
- Polly
Honouring a Mary in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Mary is about 1 in 62.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #999 for girls in 2025.
England and Wales: #332. Ireland: #113.
Famous people named Mary
- Mary Shelley (1797–1851)English writer
- Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797)English writer and intellectual
- Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587)Queen of Scotland from 1542 to 1567
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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