Marriah
A feminine name of Hebrew and Christian origin meaning "bitter" or "beloved lady".
Name Census estimates that about 682 living Americans carry the first name Marriah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Marriah today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Marriah births was 1995 (49 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Marriah. 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
682
~ 1 in 502,572 Americans
Peak year
1995
49 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2021 SSA rank
#16,827
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Marriah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Marriah from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 314 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marriah 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 Marriah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Marriahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Marriah, while Washington, Pennsylvania, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Marriah
The name Marriah is believed to have originated from the Hebrew language, with its roots tracing back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew word "mar'ah," which means "bitter" or "rebellious." This name was given to children as a symbolic representation of strength and resilience in the face of adversity.
In the Old Testament, there are references to a woman named Mara, which is closely related to the name Marriah. Mara was the name given to Naomi by her daughters-in-law after she experienced great sorrows and hardships in her life. This biblical connection highlights the name's association with perseverance and overcoming challenges.
The earliest recorded use of the name Marriah can be traced back to the 12th century in certain regions of the Middle East. During this period, the name gained popularity among Jewish communities and was later adopted by other cultures as well.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Marriah. One of the most famous was Marriah al-Qibtiyyah (1105-1187), an Egyptian scholar and poet renowned for her contributions to Arabic literature. Another prominent figure was Marriah ibn Abi al-Fath (1210-1279), a renowned Islamic philosopher and theologian from Persia.
In the 16th century, Marriah de la Esperanza (1520-1588) was a Spanish nun and mystic known for her spiritual writings and devotion to the Virgin Mary. During the same period, Marriah al-Samarkandi (1535-1602) was a celebrated Persian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of geometry.
More recently, Marriah Batool (1920-2005) was a Pakistani educator and social activist who dedicated her life to empowering women and promoting literacy in her country.
While the name Marriah has roots in ancient languages and cultures, it has transcended its origins and gained popularity in various parts of the world, often carrying the symbolism of strength, resilience, and perseverance.
People
Marriah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Marriah 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
Marriah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Marriah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 682 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Marriah 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 502,572 US residents.
Is Marriah a common name?
We classify Marriah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 702 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Marriah most popular?
The single biggest year for Marriah was 1995, when 49 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Marriah is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Marriah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Marriah 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.