Mariah
Girl name · #447 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Mariah? In official American birth records, Mariah has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Mariah is currently the #447 girl name in the United States — 693 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #152, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,597 girls born in 2025 was named Mariah.
The 145-year story
Mariah first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 22 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1996, when 5,446 girls were named Mariah — good for #63 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Mariah per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mariah against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mariah in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Mariah is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Mariah is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mariah is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Mariah is most common in AL (1.1 per 1,000), LA (1 per 1,000), GA (0.8 per 1,000), MO (0.7 per 1,000), SC (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Mariah is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Mariah
Statistically, parents drawn to Mariah tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Moriah, Micah, Morgan, Marina, and Alyssa.
MoriahMicahMorganMarinaAlyssaTaylorMadeleineAlexis
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mariah | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 693 | #447 |
| 2024 | 760 | #413 |
| 2023 | 783 | #393 |
| 2022 | 933 | #345 |
| 2021 | 958 | #340 |
| 2020 | 1,071 | #302 |
| 2019 | 1,197 | #276 |
| 2018 | 1,440 | #216 |
| 2017 | 1,617 | #195 |
| 2016 | 1,930 | #166 |
| 2015 | 2,118 | #152 |
| 2014 | 2,409 | #137 |
| 2013 | 2,773 | #113 |
| 2012 | 2,908 | #107 |
| 2011 | 2,995 | #98 |
| 2010 | 3,113 | #97 |
| 2009 | 3,605 | #88 |
| 2008 | 4,041 | #77 |
| 2007 | 3,707 | #92 |
| 2006 | 4,075 | #82 |
| 2005 | 3,840 | #85 |
| 2004 | 2,982 | #113 |
| 2003 | 3,073 | #113 |
| 2002 | 2,672 | #130 |
| 2001 | 3,585 | #85 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Mariah?
In official American birth records, the name Mariah first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 22 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Mariah a popular girl name?
Mariah ranked #447 among girls in 2025 with 693 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #152.
When was the name Mariah most popular?
Mariah peaked in 1996, when 5,446 American girls received the name (ranked #63 that year). Since 1996 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mariah?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,597 newborn American girls was named Mariah. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.