Mara
Say it: MAR-a
GirlMeans bitter, in Hebrew; also a short form of names like Maria4 letters2 syllables
#325
in Ireland (2025)
#329 with spellings combined
12
babies in 2025
#227
best rank (2024)
133
babies since 2004
Up 336
10-year rank change
Mara through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #329 |
| 2024 | 19 | #227 |
| 2023 | 9 | #394 |
| 2022 | 11 | #354 |
| 2021 | 15 | #287 |
| 2020 | 8 | #437 |
| 2019 | 4 | #700 |
| 2018 | 13 | #333 |
| 2017 | 8 | #473 |
| 2016 | 9 | #451 |
| 2015 | 5 | #665 |
| 2014 | 3 | #869 |
| 2013 | 3 | #894 |
| 2012 | 5 | #679 |
| 2006 | 4 | #634 |
| 2004 | 5 | #511 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Mara mean?
Bitter, in Hebrew; also a short form of names like Maria
Hebrew, from a word for bitterness; also a short form of Maria or Tamara.
Say it right
MARa
Also said MAH-ra.
The story of Mara
Mara has several roots. In Hebrew it comes from a word for bitterness, and in the Book of Ruth, Naomi asks to be called Mara after losing her husband and sons. Today the name is just as often a short form of Maria or Tamara. Irish speakers will also know mara as a form of muir, sea, found in phrases like Réalt na Mara, star of the sea.
It is a name that travels easily, used in Italy, eastern Europe and the English-speaking world with little change.
Mara first appears in the CSO records in 2004. It stayed rare until the late 2010s, and 2024 was its best year, with 19 girls in 2024 and a place at number 223. In Northern Ireland five girls were given it in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Mara (English proper noun)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Mara | 12 | 133 |
In Northern Ireland
#290 in 2025 with 5 babies. Best rank #290 (2025); 25 babies since 2018.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.