Mara: Meaning, origin and popularity

Pronounced MAHR-uh · 2 syllables

Mara means “bitterness; bitter”, from Hebrew.

From Hebrew (mara, “bitterness”), derived from Hebrew (mar, “bitter”). The modern given name may also be shortened from Maria or Tamara.

How popular is Mara?

Mara was the #587 name in the US in 2025, given to 499 babies. It’s rising: up 42% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 2020.

Babies named Mara in the US by five-year period, relative to its peak (around 2020).

Half of US adults named Mara are older than 37; most are between 20 and 70. (Estimated from US births by year and life tables.)

Names that real brothers and sisters of people named Mara have, from family records on Wikidata, most common first.

Chosen by the same families or with a similar style and era.

Mara means “bitterness; bitter”. It comes from Hebrew.

Mara is pronounced MAHR-uh.

Mara was the #587 name in the US in 2025, given to 499 babies. It’s rising: up 42% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 2020.

Half of US adults named Mara are older than 37. Most are between 20 and 70.