Mary
Say it: MAIR-ee
Girl4 letters2 syllables
#112
in Ireland (2025)
#114 with spellings combined
41
babies in 2025
#1
best rank (1964)
42,871
babies since 1964
Down 40
10-year rank change
Mary through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 41 | #114 |
| 2024 | 46 | #105 |
| 2023 | 36 | #131 |
| 2022 | 64 | #87 |
| 2021 | 41 | #128 |
| 2020 | 64 | #83 |
| 2019 | 62 | #93 |
| 2018 | 105 | #58 |
| 2017 | 64 | #91 |
| 2016 | 70 | #84 |
| 2015 | 91 | #74 |
| 2014 | 88 | #77 |
| 2013 | 79 | #81 |
| 2012 | 99 | #71 |
| 2011 | 106 | #69 |
| 2010 | 123 | #59 |
| 2009 | 120 | #61 |
| 2008 | 121 | #60 |
| 2007 | 124 | #57 |
| 2006 | 124 | #52 |
| 2005 | 133 | #48 |
| 2004 | 133 | #44 |
| 2003 | 128 | #45 |
| 2002 | 140 | #41 |
| 2001 | 153 | #37 |
| 2000 | 140 | #37 |
| 1999 | 131 | #37 |
| 1998 | 128 | #34 |
| 1997 | 345 | #16 |
| 1996 | 356 | #16 |
| 1995 | 312 | #17 |
| 1994 | 352 | #12 |
| 1993 | 364 | #12 |
| 1992 | 396 | #13 |
| 1991 | 419 | #10 |
| 1990 | 445 | #11 |
| 1989 | 460 | #8 |
| 1988 | 505 | #7 |
| 1987 | 603 | #4 |
| 1986 | 570 | #6 |
| 1985 | 644 | #4 |
| 1984 | 669 | #2 |
| 1983 | 744 | #2 |
| 1982 | 822 | #1 |
| 1981 | 882 | #1 |
| 1980 | 964 | #1 |
| 1979 | 944 | #1 |
| 1978 | 1,005 | #1 |
| 1977 | 972 | #1 |
| 1976 | 1,131 | #1 |
| 1975 | 1,227 | #1 |
| 1974 | 1,375 | #1 |
| 1973 | 1,529 | #1 |
| 1972 | 1,581 | #1 |
| 1971 | 1,907 | #1 |
| 1970 | 1,896 | #1 |
| 1969 | 2,182 | #1 |
| 1968 | 2,364 | #1 |
| 1967 | 2,591 | #1 |
| 1966 | 2,861 | #1 |
| 1965 | 3,229 | #1 |
| 1964 | 3,471 | #1 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Mary mean?
Uncertain
Hebrew Miryam, through Greek and Latin Maria and Old French Marie.
Say it right
MAIRee
Many Irish accents make it closer to MAY-ree. The Irish form Máire is said roughly MAW-ra.
The story of Mary
Mary is the English form of Maria, the Greek and Latin version of the Hebrew Miryam, and it came into English through the Old French Marie. What the Hebrew name meant is uncertain. Many explanations have been offered over the centuries, and none is agreed. Miriam, Maria and Marie are all forms of the same name.
Its fame comes from Mary, the mother of Jesus. Irish keeps a special form, Muire, for her alone, while girls named after her are called Máire. Ireland has also had two presidents named Mary: Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese.
Mary was the top girls’ name in Ireland every year from 1964 to 1982, and 3,471 girls were given it in 1964 alone. It slipped gently after that and left the top 10 in the early 1990s. By 2025 it was number 112 on the CSO list, though it is still one of the most familiar names in Irish families.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Mary (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Mary (name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Molly
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Mary | 41 | 42,871 |
In Northern Ireland
#161 in 2025 with 11 babies. Best rank #53 (1997); 598 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.