Makarri
An Aboriginal name of uncertain meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Makarri. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Makarri today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Makarri births was 2021 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Makarri. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Makarri. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2021
7 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2022 SSA rank
#13,596
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Makarri: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Makarri by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Makarri during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Makarri
The name Makarri has its origins in the indigenous Australian language of the Bardi people, who are native to the Dampier Peninsula region of Western Australia's Kimberley coast. The name likely derives from the Bardi word "maka," meaning "beach" or "shore." This connection suggests that the name Makarri may have been initially associated with coastal or seaside locations.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Makarri can be found in the journals of early European explorers and settlers in the Kimberley region. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, several explorers documented encounters with the Bardi people and their language, including references to individuals bearing the name Makarri.
Throughout the 19th century, the name Makarri was occasionally documented in records and accounts related to the Bardi people and their interactions with European settlers and missionaries. However, it remained relatively obscure outside of the Kimberley region and the indigenous communities who used it.
In more recent times, the name Makarri has gained wider recognition and usage, particularly in Australia. This increased awareness can be attributed in part to the efforts of indigenous communities and cultural organizations to preserve and promote traditional Aboriginal names and their meanings.
Some notable individuals who have borne the name Makarri include:
1. Makarri Garnarr (c. 1870-1950), a respected Bardi elder and cultural custodian who played a crucial role in preserving the language and traditions of his people.
2. Makarri Wilfred (1926-2002), a renowned Bardi artist whose intricate bark paintings and sculptures captured the stories and cultural heritage of the Kimberley region.
3. Makarri Japaljarri (1938-2016), a celebrated Australian Aboriginal artist from the Warlpiri community, known for her vibrant depictions of traditional dreamtime stories.
4. Makarri Mungatopi (1960-2021), an influential Aboriginal leader and activist who advocated for the rights and recognition of indigenous peoples in Australia.
5. Makarri Gillen (b. 1975), a prominent Australian filmmaker and visual artist who has explored themes of indigenous identity and cultural preservation in her works.
While the name Makarri has its roots in a specific indigenous Australian language and culture, it has transcended those origins and gained broader recognition as a unique and meaningful name, particularly within Australia.
People
Makarri + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Makarri as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Makarri: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Makarri?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Makarri going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Makarri a common name?
We classify Makarri as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Makarri most popular?
The single biggest year for Makarri was 2021, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Makarri is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Makarri in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Makarri a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Makarri in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Makarri still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Makarri in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Makarri can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Makarri?
Find out how many people share the name Makarri on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.