Mary
Meaningpossibly beloved · Hebrew
- US rank
- #125
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #1 in 1961
2,230 babies were named Mary in the US in 2025. It has dropped 2 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Mary you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Mary
Mary Shelley
English writer (1797–1851)
Choose Mary and your child shares a first name with Mary Shelley, an English writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Mary, like who?” Mary Shelley's Wikipedia article is available in 133 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Mary Shelley on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Richard Rothwell, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 721 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Mary, 2,230 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Mary would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryMary has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Marys, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1961, when it ranked #1. Today it's #125, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowMary was 2.5× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 292 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 721.
- Where it's lovedMary is the #6 girl name in 2 states, including Alabama, Mississippi and Mississippi. It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, Mary means “possibly beloved”.
About the name Mary
Mary is a girl name of Hebrew origin meaning “possibly beloved”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-ary”. US birth records list Mary for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1961, when it ranked #1 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #125, with 2,230 babies.
Origin:Hebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 70,708 | 14 girls |
| 1890s | 59,269 | 17 girls |
| 1900s | 55,130 | 18 girls |
| 1910s | 58,589 | 17 girls |
| 1920s | 58,690 | 17 girls |
| 1930s | 53,742 | 19 girls |
| 1940s | 44,676 | 22 girls |
| 1950s | 32,700 | 31 girls |
| 1960s | 19,122 | 52 girls |
| 1970s | 8,116 | 123 girls |
| 1980s | 5,601 | 179 girls |
| 1990s | 4,197 | 238 girls |
| 2000s | 2,517 | 397 girls |
| 2010s | 1,467 | 682 girls |
| 2020s | 1,335 | 749 girls |
More Hebrew girl names
- Girl name: Mia · possibly beloved
- Girl name: Isabella · God is my oath
- Girl name: Ava · possibly bird, or life
- Girl name: Elizabeth · God is my oath
- Girl name: Aria · solo melody
- Girl name: Ella · possibly all, entirely
- Girl name: Gianna · God is gracious
- Girl name: Sadie · princess
Questions about the name Mary
What does the name Mary mean?
Mary means “possibly beloved” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name Mary?
Mary has Hebrew roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Mia, Isabella, Ava.
Is Mary a boy or girl name?
Mary is a girl name.
How popular is the name Mary?
Mary ranked #125 for US girls in 2025, given to 2,230 babies. Its best year was 1961 (#1).