Maria
Girl name · #87 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Maria? In official American birth records, Maria has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 2,887 baby girls were named Maria, placing it at #87 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #109, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 623 girls born in 2025 was named Maria.
The 145-year story
Maria first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 125 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1964, when 10,148 girls were named Maria — good for #41 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Maria per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Maria against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Maria in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Maria is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Maria is most common
Geography matters for names, and Maria is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Maria is most common in DC (5.9 per 1,000), ND (3.7 per 1,000), NM (3.6 per 1,000), MT (3.5 per 1,000), NE (3.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 2.2 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Maria is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Maria
Statistically, parents drawn to Maria tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Diana, Melanie, Valerie, Sarah, and Andrea.
DianaMelanieValerieSarahAndreaSaraNinaJoanna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Maria | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,887 | #87 |
| 2024 | 3,122 | #74 |
| 2023 | 2,907 | #82 |
| 2022 | 2,849 | #91 |
| 2021 | 2,604 | #105 |
| 2020 | 2,493 | #109 |
| 2019 | 2,717 | #106 |
| 2018 | 2,621 | #115 |
| 2017 | 2,717 | #111 |
| 2016 | 2,812 | #113 |
| 2015 | 2,833 | #109 |
| 2014 | 2,777 | #114 |
| 2013 | 2,821 | #111 |
| 2012 | 3,034 | #101 |
| 2011 | 3,221 | #92 |
| 2010 | 3,421 | #86 |
| 2009 | 4,143 | #70 |
| 2008 | 4,593 | #63 |
| 2007 | 5,129 | #53 |
| 2006 | 5,604 | #46 |
| 2005 | 5,600 | #46 |
| 2004 | 5,757 | #42 |
| 2003 | 6,091 | #42 |
| 2002 | 6,391 | #40 |
| 2001 | 6,842 | #41 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Maria?
In official American birth records, the name Maria first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 125 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Maria a popular girl name?
Maria ranked #87 among girls in 2025 with 2,887 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #109.
When was the name Maria most popular?
Maria peaked in 1964, when 10,148 American girls received the name (ranked #41 that year). Since 1964 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Maria?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 623 newborn American girls was named Maria. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.