Girl name · Hebrew
Mara
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: bitterMara is a girl's name that comes from Hebrew and means "bitter". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Bitter
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #589 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Mara
As a girl's name, Mara comes from Hebrew and means "bitter". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Mara on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Mara on 3 lists.
“Bitter; Hebrew. Name Naomi chose in her grief”
From Biblical names, women of the Old Testament
“Buddhist tempter who tried to distract the Buddha from enlightenment”
From Demon names, demon names from world mythology
“Bitter; Hebrew, the name Naomi takes in her grief (Ruth 1:20). Not the same as the Buddhist Mara”
From Names that mean death, girl names that mean death or immortality
How popular is Mara?
- US rank in 2025
- #589
- 499 babies, 310 per million girls
- Best rank
- #538 in 1990
- Most babies: 568 in 2021
- Babies since 1892
- At least 24,038
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 3 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 8 per million |
| 1920s | 11 per million |
| 1930s | 14 per million |
| 1940s | 23 per million |
| 1950s | 74 per million |
| 1960s | 106 per million |
| 1970s | 166 per million |
| 1980s | 153 per million |
| 1990s | 216 per million |
| 2000s | 219 per million |
| 2010s | 220 per million |
| 2020s | 312 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #686 | #668 | #676 | #663 | #628 | #540 | #620 | #581 | #589 | #589 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Mara
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- MartaLady, mistress (Aramaic, girl)
- MiraPeace, from Slavic Mir- names; in Sanskrit, sea (Slavic, girl)
- MaiaGood mother (Greek, girl)
- MariaGreek and Latin form of Miriam, of uncertain meaning (Hebrew, girl)
- MahaOryx (Arabic, girl)
- MarSea (Latin, girl)
- MarfaLady, mistress (Aramaic, girl)
- MargaPearl (Greek, girl)
- MariTruth (Japanese, girl)
Middle names for Mara
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Hebrew
- AnnaFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- EvaLiving, life (Hebrew, girl)
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- SarahPrincess, noblewoman (Hebrew, girl)
- EliseGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- LisaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- AnneFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- DanielaGod is my judge (Hebrew, girl)
- ElsaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- HannahFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
Mara: common questions
What does the name Mara mean?
Mara comes from Hebrew and means "bitter".
Is Mara a boy or girl name?
Mara is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Mara come from?
Mara comes from Hebrew and means "bitter". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Mara?
Mara ranked #589 in the US in 2025, with 499 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Mara?
Names spelled like Mara include Marta, Mira, Maia, Maria and Maha.
What middle names go with Mara?
Middle names that flow well with Mara include Cosima, Daphne, Elizabeth, Evangeline and Gabrielle. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.