Monta
A unisex name, likely Scandinavian or Finnish in origin, potentially meaning "mountain dweller".
Name Census estimates that about 760 living Americans carry the first name Monta. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 64.8% of registrations being female. The average person named Monta today is around 52 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Monta births was 1980 (29 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Monta. 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.
Key insights
- • Monta was once a predominantly female name but has become increasingly popular for boys in recent decades.
- • Monta sits in rare territory as a truly gender-neutral name, given to boys and girls in near-equal numbers.
People living today
760
~ 1 in 450,993 Americans
Peak year
1980
29 babies that year
Average age
52
years old
2020 SSA rank
#12,882
Tracked since 1891
Gender
Gender distribution for Monta
Monta is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 1,399 total registrations, 492 (35.2%) were male and 907 (64.8%) were female.
Monta as a male name
- Ranked #13,415 in 2020
- 5 male births in 2020
- Peak: 1978 (24 births)
Monta as a female name
- Ranked #12,882 in 1994
- 6 female births in 1994
- Peak: 1952 (26 births)
Popularity
Monta: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Monta from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 14 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 180 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Monta 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 Monta during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Montas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma recorded the most babies named Monta, while Oklahoma, Georgia, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Monta
The name Monta has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, with roots that can be traced back to the Sanskrit language. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "mani," which means "jewel" or "gem." The name's earliest known usage dates back to ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, where it was often associated with precious stones and their symbolic significance in various spiritual and cultural contexts.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Monta can be found in the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. Here, it appears as a reference to a particularly valuable and radiant gemstone, highlighting the name's connection to beauty, rarity, and preciousness.
Throughout Indian history, several notable figures have borne the name Monta. One such individual was Monta Singh (1685-1753), a renowned warrior and military leader who played a pivotal role in the defense of the Sikh empire against invading forces during the 18th century. His bravery and strategic prowess earned him a place in the annals of Sikh history.
Another notable bearer of the name was Monta Devi (1498-1567), a celebrated poet and mystic from the Bhakti movement in medieval India. Her devotional compositions, known as "bhajans," are revered to this day and have influenced generations of spiritual seekers and artists alike.
In the realm of literature, Monta Ranjan Bhattacharya (1902-1964) was a prominent Bengali novelist and short story writer. His works, which explored themes of social injustice and human relationships, left a lasting impact on the literary landscape of Bengal and garnered critical acclaim.
Moving beyond the Indian subcontinent, the name Monta has also found its way into other cultures and languages. In the West African nation of Mali, for instance, the name Monta is sometimes used as a variation of the more common name "Monta," which is derived from the Bambara language and means "to embrace" or "to enfold."
Additionally, in certain Native American cultures, the name Monta has been associated with concepts of strength, resilience, and connection to the natural world. For example, among the Hopi people of the southwestern United States, the name Monta has been used to honor individuals who embodied these qualities.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Monta
People
Monta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Monta 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
Monta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Monta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 760 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Monta 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 450,993 US residents.
Is Monta a common name?
We classify Monta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,399 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Monta most popular?
The single biggest year for Monta was 1980, when 29 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Monta is about 52 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Monta a female name?
Yes, 64.8% of people registered as Monta 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.