Find out how popular the first name Mare has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Mare by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Mare is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 93% of people named Mare being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 8 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Mare.

It's also interesting to see that despite Mare being historically a mostly male name, the most recent data from 2023 shows a shift in the trend, with more female babies being named Mare.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 8 baby girls were named Mare in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Mare

The name Mare is derived from the Latin word "mare," which means "sea" or "ocean." It has its origins in ancient Roman culture and can be traced back to the 8th century BCE.

The earliest recorded use of Mare as a given name dates back to the 1st century CE, when it was used as a name for Roman women. It was particularly popular among families living near the Mediterranean Sea, as the name was associated with the vast and powerful ocean.

In ancient Roman mythology, Mare was also the name of a minor sea goddess, often depicted as a beautiful woman riding on the back of a sea creature or holding a trident. This connection to the divine further reinforced the name's association with the sea.

One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Mare was Mare Antonia Paulina, a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century CE and was part of the influential Antonia family.

In the Middle Ages, the name Mare gained popularity across Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain. It was sometimes used as a shortened version of the name Maria or as a variant of the name Marina.

In the 16th century, Mare became a notable name in Italy with the birth of Mare de' Medici (1573-1642), a member of the powerful Medici family and the wife of King Henry IV of France.

Another famous bearer of the name was Mare Antoinette (1755-1793), the Queen of France during the French Revolution. Her tragic life and execution during the Reign of Terror made her one of the most well-known figures in history.

In the 19th century, the name Mare was particularly popular in Russia, where it was often spelled as Marya. One notable example was Marya Vasilyevna Romanova (1819-1876), a member of the Russian imperial family and the wife of Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich.

In more recent times, the name Mare has been used across various cultures and regions, though its popularity has waned compared to its heyday in ancient Rome and medieval Europe.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Mare was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mare, please contact us.

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