Martha
Girl name · #712 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Martha? In official American birth records, Martha has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 393 baby girls were named Martha, placing it at #712 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #771, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,580 girls born in 2025 was named Martha.
Babies named Martha per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Martha first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 1,040 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 10,651 girls were named Martha — good for #32 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Martha against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Martha in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Martha is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Martha will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Martha is most common
Geography matters for names, and Martha is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Martha is most common in PA (1.1 per 1,000), KY (0.8 per 1,000), WI (0.7 per 1,000), IN (0.6 per 1,000), AL (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Martha is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Martha
Statistically, parents drawn to Martha tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Gloria, Marilyn, Eileen, Sandra, and Linda.
GloriaMarilynEileenSandraLindaBarbaraJudithLoretta
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Martha | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 393 | #712 |
| 2024 | 435 | #666 |
| 2023 | 439 | #671 |
| 2022 | 405 | #723 |
| 2021 | 395 | #725 |
| 2020 | 354 | #767 |
| 2019 | 349 | #794 |
| 2018 | 349 | #782 |
| 2017 | 376 | #746 |
| 2016 | 397 | #716 |
| 2015 | 367 | #771 |
| 2014 | 383 | #735 |
| 2013 | 344 | #793 |
| 2012 | 392 | #713 |
| 2011 | 374 | #738 |
| 2010 | 412 | #692 |
| 2009 | 451 | #657 |
| 2008 | 505 | #605 |
| 2007 | 531 | #565 |
| 2006 | 583 | #519 |
| 2005 | 601 | #502 |
| 2004 | 603 | #487 |
| 2003 | 640 | #466 |
| 2002 | 718 | #405 |
| 2001 | 759 | #384 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Martha?
In official American birth records, the name Martha first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 1,040 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Martha a popular girl name?
Martha ranked #712 among girls in 2025 with 393 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #771.
When was the name Martha most popular?
Martha peaked in 1947, when 10,651 American girls received the name (ranked #32 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Martha?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,580 newborn American girls was named Martha. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.