Maria
Say it: ma-REE-a/məˈɹiːə/
Girl5 letters3 syllables
#74
in Ireland (2025)
#75 with spellings combined
68
babies in 2025
#23
best rank (1967)
10,050
babies since 1964
Down 21
10-year rank change
Maria through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 68 | #75 |
| 2024 | 72 | #74 |
| 2023 | 75 | #73 |
| 2022 | 98 | #54 |
| 2021 | 80 | #74 |
| 2020 | 78 | #69 |
| 2019 | 93 | #63 |
| 2018 | 100 | #61 |
| 2017 | 112 | #55 |
| 2016 | 109 | #55 |
| 2015 | 119 | #54 |
| 2014 | 103 | #69 |
| 2013 | 113 | #63 |
| 2012 | 100 | #70 |
| 2011 | 134 | #54 |
| 2010 | 137 | #53 |
| 2009 | 133 | #54 |
| 2008 | 158 | #49 |
| 2007 | 119 | #58 |
| 2006 | 92 | #66 |
| 2005 | 99 | #58 |
| 2004 | 103 | #55 |
| 2003 | 91 | #56 |
| 2002 | 104 | #53 |
| 2001 | 87 | #58 |
| 2000 | 78 | #63 |
| 1999 | 62 | #71 |
| 1998 | 52 | #73 |
| 1997 | 118 | #52 |
| 1996 | 100 | #54 |
| 1995 | 112 | #53 |
| 1994 | 106 | #51 |
| 1993 | 120 | #50 |
| 1992 | 122 | #50 |
| 1991 | 160 | #37 |
| 1990 | 165 | #37 |
| 1989 | 153 | #38 |
| 1988 | 198 | #27 |
| 1987 | 223 | #29 |
| 1986 | 225 | #29 |
| 1985 | 257 | #29 |
| 1984 | 240 | #32 |
| 1983 | 255 | #32 |
| 1982 | 251 | #36 |
| 1981 | 265 | #34 |
| 1980 | 248 | #42 |
| 1979 | 218 | #44 |
| 1978 | 227 | #41 |
| 1977 | 237 | #38 |
| 1976 | 238 | #38 |
| 1975 | 253 | #31 |
| 1974 | 244 | #35 |
| 1973 | 263 | #30 |
| 1972 | 281 | #27 |
| 1971 | 289 | #25 |
| 1970 | 227 | #30 |
| 1969 | 207 | #34 |
| 1968 | 270 | #24 |
| 1967 | 273 | #23 |
| 1966 | 257 | #30 |
| 1965 | 243 | #36 |
| 1964 | 236 | #33 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Maria mean?
Uncertain
Latin form of Mary, from Hebrew Miryam through Greek.
Say it right
maREEa
The story of Maria
Maria is the Latin form of Mary. Both go back through Greek to the Hebrew Miryam, the name of Miriam, sister of Moses in the Bible. What Miryam originally meant is uncertain: many explanations have been put forward, but none is agreed.
The name spread through devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus. In Irish she is called Muire, while other women named Mary are Máire. The novelist Maria Edgeworth, who lived and wrote at Edgeworthstown in County Longford, is one of the best-known Irish bearers.
Maria has been in the Irish top 100 every year of the CSO records. Its best rank was number 23 in 1967, and the most babies came in 1971, with 289 girls. It was number 74 in 2025. In Northern Ireland its best place was 49th, in 2009.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Maria (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Mary (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Maria (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Maria | 68 | 10,050 |
In Northern Ireland
#94 in 2025 with 22 babies. Best rank #49 (2009); 889 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.