Mari
Meaningoften true village · Japanese
Mari is a Japanese girl name often meaning “true village”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length.
Did you know?
- AnagramShuffle the letters of Mari and you get Amir, Mira and Rami. Same letters, different names.
- GenerationMari peaked in 1954, which makes it a classic Baby Boomer name. The typical Mari you'd meet today is about 71 years old.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Mari would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 12,453 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryMari first shows up in US birth records in 1897, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 128 years since.
- Where it's lovedWant to meet a lot of Maris? Head to Minnesota, where it's the #731 girl name, its best showing of any state.
US births per million girls, 1897–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Mari
Mari is a girl name of Japanese origin meaning “often true village”. Its two syllables give it an easy rhythm, and the open vowel at the end makes it sound soft and warm. It was most fashionable in the 1950s, which gives it a vintage, grandparent-chic charm, and it's now coming back into style. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Japanese names
Other spellings of Mari
More Japanese girl names
- Girl name: Naomi · pleasantness
- Girl name: Noa · movement
- Girl name: Reina · queen
- Girl name: Aya · sign, verse
- Girl name: Hana · one; flower in Japanese
- Girl name: Kiyomi · often pure beauty
- Girl name: Yuna · often gentle
- Unisex name: Akira · bright, clear
Questions about the name Mari
What does the name Mari mean?
Mari means “often true village” and comes from Japanese. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Mariko (“often true village child”), Anri (“often apricot village”), Misato (“often beautiful village”) and Riho (“often village sail”).
What is the origin of the name Mari?
Mari is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Naomi (“pleasantness”), Noa (“movement”), Reina (“queen”) and Aya (“sign, verse”).
Is Mari a boy or girl name?
Mari is a girl name, though a few boys are given it too each year. In 2025, 129 US girls were named Mari.
How popular is the name Mari?
Mari ranked #1,611 for US girls in 2025, given to 129 babies. Its best year was 1954, when it reached #464. Over the last five years it has climbed 380 places.
What names are similar to Mari?
If you like Mari, you might also like Mary, Mariko, Anri, Misato and Riho. Mary is another spelling of the same name.
What should I know before naming my baby Mari?
Mari is a Japanese girl name often meaning “true village”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.