Maria is a fairly popular name in the United States. It started to rise in popularity in the 1940s, peaking in 1975, with 7,531 babies named Maria that year. Thereafter, the name’s popularity declined. As of 2020, only 2,460 babies were given the name. Its decline in popularity is great news for any parent who doesn’t want to give their baby a very common name. According to 2020 data from the Social Security Administration, Maria is the 109th most popular name for girls in the United States.

Name Variations 

Maria has several variations in cultures and languages across the world. Some of the most common include

Maarja (Estonian) Maleah (English) Mari (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian) Mariah (English) Mariam (Biblical Greek) Marie (German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish)  Mariya (Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Russian) Marja (Dutch) Marje (Estonian) Marjo (Dutch)  Marju (Estonian) Mary (English) Marya (Russian)

If you are considering one of these variations as an alternative to Maria, it’s important to research their history and meaning to ensure it doesn’t mean something you might find unpleasant. 

Similar Names

If you like the name Maria but can’t decide if it’s for your baby yet, here’s a list of similar names of Latin origin you could also consider.

Amanda  Angelica  Ava Cecilia  Daniella  Donna Emilia  Georgia Gloria  Joy Luna Madonna  Marina  Mary Matthew Nora Priscilla  Regina  Serena  Valentina  Veronica Victoria Vivian 

Suggested Sibling Names 

Here’s a list of names that compliment Maria:

Adrianna Anthony Augustine CarmenCeleste Dominic EmmaFelixFrancesca Joseph Julia JustinMadelaine Marcus SilasStellaPaulQuentinRemusSabrinaVictor Vincent  

Famous People Named Maria    

If you are curious about who else would share the name if you decide to name your baby, here’s a list of famous people who have been named Maria over the years. 

Maria Bello, American actress, and writer Maria Brink, American singer, and songwriter Maria Bueno, Brazilian professional tennis player Maria Eve, American poet Maria Kanellis, American professional wrestler Maria Kochetkova, Russian ballet dancer Maria “Meryl” Streep, American actress Maria Montessori, Italian physician and educator who pioneered Montessori schools Maria Salinas, American broadcast journalist Maria Sharapova, Russian professional tennis player Maria Shriver, American writer, journalist, and activist, who was also the former First Lady of CaliforniaMaria von Trapp, Austrian born American singer whose story influenced the popular musical “Sound of Music”

Fictional Marias

Maria has also featured in several works of fiction and literary pieces. A few of the most popular include 

Maria, a lead female character in the musical “West Side Story”Maria, a former lead female character in the television program “Sesame Street"Maria Jackson, a character in the British children’s program “The Sarah Jane Adventures”  Maria Renard, a character in the video game and TV series “Castlevania” Maria Robotnik, a character in the video game series “Sonic the Hedgehog” 

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