Maria
Girl name · #87 in 2025 · Uniqueness 38/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Maria against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Maria in class?
Maria scores 38 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Maria is most common
Geography matters for names, and Maria is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Marias were TX (435), CA (372), FL (209), NY (127), PA (102). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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, Victoria, and Gloria.
DianaMelanieValerieVictoriaGloriaLauraSarahAndrea
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
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. It scores 38/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.