Marra
An Italian feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly related to the color maroon.
Name Census estimates that about 328 living Americans carry the first name Marra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Marra today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marra births was 1989 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marra. 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
328
~ 1 in 1,044,983 Americans
Peak year
1989
19 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,584
Tracked since 1963
Popularity
Marra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marra from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 106 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
Marra 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 Marra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Marra
The name Marra is believed to have originated from the Basque region spanning parts of Spain and France. It is thought to be derived from the ancient Basque word "marra," meaning "oak tree." This connection suggests that the name may have been used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near or was associated with oak trees.
The earliest recorded use of the name Marra dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared in medieval Basque documents and records. During this time, the name was likely used as a surname or a descriptive name to identify individuals within small communities.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Marra was Marra de Baigorri, a Basque nobleman born in the late 12th century. He was a prominent figure in the region and is mentioned in several historical texts from that period.
In the 15th century, Marra de Urtubia, a Basque poet and writer, gained recognition for her works that celebrated the Basque language and culture. Her writings have been preserved and studied by scholars interested in the literary traditions of the region.
During the 16th century, Marra Iturri was a notable Basque explorer and navigator who accompanied Spanish expeditions to the Americas. He is credited with contributing to the exploration and mapping of parts of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico regions.
In the 18th century, Marra Iturriza, a Basque historian and scholar, authored several influential works on the history and traditions of the Basque people. His writings played a significant role in preserving and promoting Basque cultural identity during a time of political and social upheaval.
Another notable figure with the name Marra was Marra Urriza, a Basque military leader who fought in the Napoleonic Wars during the early 19th century. He is remembered for his bravery and strategic leadership in defending the Basque territories against French occupation.
While the name Marra has its roots in the Basque region, it has been adopted and used in other parts of the world over time, although its historical significance remains closely tied to its Basque origins and the individuals who have carried this name throughout the centuries.
People
Marra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marra 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
Marra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 328 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marra 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 1,044,983 US residents.
Is Marra a common name?
We classify Marra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 338 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marra most popular?
The single biggest year for Marra was 1989, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marra is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Marra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Marra 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.