Marit
A feminine name of Scandinavian origin meaning "drop of the sea".
Name Census estimates that about 732 living Americans carry the first name Marit. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Marit today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marit births was 2017 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marit. 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
732
~ 1 in 468,244 Americans
Peak year
2017
21 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,966
Tracked since 1947
Popularity
Marit: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marit from the 1940s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 151 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Marit remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marit 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 Marit during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marits live
Origin
Meaning and history of Marit
The name Marit is of Scandinavian origin, derived from the Old Norse name Marít. It is a feminine form of the male name Márir, which means "the sea" or "the ocean." The name Marit has its roots in the ancient Norse mythology and culture, where the sea played a significant role in the lives of the Vikings and other Scandinavian people.
In Old Norse literature, Marit was sometimes used as a byname or a nickname for women associated with the sea or maritime activities. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, where it appears as a byname for a female character.
During the Middle Ages, the name Marit gained popularity in Scandinavia, particularly in Norway and Iceland. It was often bestowed upon girls born in coastal regions or to families with strong ties to the sea. One of the notable historical figures with this name was Marit Arnesdatter (c. 1300-1370), a Norwegian noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the political affairs of her time.
In the 16th century, the name Marit appeared in several historical records and documents from various Scandinavian countries. One example is Marit Andersdotter (c. 1550-1620), a Swedish woman who gained notoriety for her involvement in a witch trial in the late 16th century.
The name Marit continued to be popular in Scandinavia throughout the centuries. In the 19th century, Marit Michelsen (1845-1925) was a renowned Norwegian painter and art teacher who helped establish the Norwegian art scene. Another notable figure was Marit Petersen (1904-1975), a Norwegian politician and feminist who served as the Minister of Social Affairs in the 1950s.
During the 20th century, the name Marit gained international recognition thanks to Marit Bjørgen (born 1980), a highly successful Norwegian cross-country skier who won numerous Olympic and World Championship medals, cementing her place as one of the greatest winter athletes of all time.
While the name Marit has its roots in Scandinavia, it has been adopted and used in various parts of the world, particularly in countries with Nordic cultural influences or connections. The name's association with the sea and maritime heritage has made it a popular choice for parents seeking a name with a strong connection to nature and the elements.
People
Marit + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marit 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
Marit: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marit?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 732 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marit 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 468,244 US residents.
Is Marit a common name?
We classify Marit as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 786 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marit most popular?
The single biggest year for Marit was 2017, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marit is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Marit a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Marit 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.