Maraya
A feminine name with Arabic origins meaning "mirror" or "reflecting pool".
Name Census estimates that about 893 living Americans carry the first name Maraya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Maraya today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maraya births was 2006 (58 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maraya. 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.
People living today
893
~ 1 in 383,823 Americans
Peak year
2006
58 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,225
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Maraya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maraya from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 395 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maraya 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 Maraya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marayas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Maraya
The name Maraya finds its origins in the Sanskrit language, with roots tracing back to ancient India. It is a feminine name derived from the Sanskrit word "marut," which means "wind" or "breeze." This connection to the natural world, particularly the air element, has imbued the name with a sense of grace and freedom.
In the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, there are references to the Maruts, a group of deities associated with storms and wind. While the name Maraya itself is not explicitly mentioned, its linguistic ties to these revered entities suggest a reverence for nature and its powerful forces.
The earliest recorded use of the name Maraya can be traced back to the 5th century CE in India. One notable figure bearing this name was Maraya Devi, a princess from the Gupta Empire, known for her patronage of the arts and her support of cultural endeavors.
As the name spread beyond the Indian subcontinent, it took on various spellings and adaptations. In the Middle East, the name Maraya was sometimes written as Maraya or Mariyah, reflecting the influence of Arabic culture and language.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Maraya. In the 9th century, Maraya Al-Asturlabi was a renowned astronomer and mathematician from Baghdad, whose contributions to the field of astrolabes were highly regarded.
During the Renaissance period, Maraya Sforza (1493-1557) was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her influential role in the cultural landscape of Milan.
In the 18th century, Maraya Thérèse de Bourbon (1717-1748), a French princess and granddaughter of King Louis XIV, was celebrated for her beauty and her role in the court of Versailles.
More recently, Maraya Carey (born 1970) is a famous American singer, songwriter, and actress, whose powerful vocals and chart-topping hits have made her a global icon in the music industry.
Maraya Zapata (born 1976) is a Mexican author and pioneer of the "New Adult" genre, renowned for her captivating romantic fiction and her ability to connect with readers worldwide.
People
Maraya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maraya 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
Maraya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maraya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 893 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maraya 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 383,823 US residents.
Is Maraya a common name?
We classify Maraya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 909 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maraya most popular?
The single biggest year for Maraya was 2006, when 58 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maraya is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Maraya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maraya in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.