Mary is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Mary means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Mary across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Mary has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Mary is a girl name of Hebrew origin meaning “of uncertain meaning, possibly bitterness or beloved”. the English form of Miriam.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 4,156,654 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 7,186 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,687 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 587 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 42,871 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 5,891 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Mary per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1921 (74,171/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1964 (3,471/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1997 (424/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (200/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (45/yr).
Mary has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1921, when it ranked #1 nationally (given to 74,171 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1920s.
Marie · Maria · Mariah · Mario · Mayra · Myra · Murray · Mira
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