Moria
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly derived from Latin.
Name Census estimates that about 512 living Americans carry the first name Moria. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Moria today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Moria births was 1977 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Moria. 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
512
~ 1 in 669,442 Americans
Peak year
1977
25 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,004
Tracked since 1952
Popularity
Moria: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Moria from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 158 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Moria 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 Moria during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Morias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Moria
The name Moria has its origins in the ancient Greek language, where it was derived from the word "moros," meaning "foolish" or "dull." It is believed to have been used as a personal name in ancient Greece around the 5th century BCE.
In Greek mythology, Moria was the personification of folly and was often depicted as a foolish and misguided figure. The name was likely given to individuals as a reminder of the importance of wisdom and self-awareness.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Moria can be found in the works of the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, who used the name in his comedic plays to represent characters who embodied the concept of foolishness.
Throughout history, the name Moria has been borne by several notable individuals. In the 12th century, Moria of Bethune (1077-1118) was a renowned French poet and trouvère known for her courtly love poems.
In the 16th century, Moria Pucci (1516-1592) was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, famous for her support of Renaissance artists and intellectuals.
During the Renaissance period, the Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536) wrote a satirical work titled "In Praise of Folly" (Moriae Encomium), in which he personified Folly as a character named Moria, critiquing the societal and religious norms of the time.
In the 19th century, Moria Woodman (1837-1892) was a British artist and illustrator known for her detailed botanical illustrations and watercolor paintings.
More recently, Moria Casán (born 1946) is an Argentine actress, vedette, and television personality who has had a long and successful career in the entertainment industry.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Moria, each leaving their unique mark on their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human culture and achievement.
People
Moria + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Moria 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
Moria: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Moria?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 512 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Moria 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 669,442 US residents.
Is Moria a common name?
We classify Moria as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 557 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Moria most popular?
The single biggest year for Moria was 1977, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Moria is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Moria a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Moria 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.