Mara

Where Mara comes from

From Hebrew מָרָא (mara, “bitterness”), derived from Hebrew מַר (mar, “bitter”). The modern given name may also be shortened from Maria or Tamara.
— Wiktionary's entry for Mara
  • Hebrew
  • Vowel-ended
Along the way
  1. 1892
    First appearance
    #1,278 among girls, 6 babies — the first year at least five got the name.
  2. 1981
    Mara Santangelo born
    Italian tennis player
  3. 1987
    Mara Wilson born
    American actress
  4. 1990
    Peak, #538
    443 babies named Mara — more than any year before or since.
In the dictionary
  • A female given name from Hebrew.
Namesakes
  • Mara Wilson · American actress, born 1987
  • Mara Santangelo · Italian tennis player, born 1981
  • Mara Corday · American actor and model, 1930–2025
  • Mara Navarria · Italian fencer, born 1985
  • Mara Venier · Italian actress and television presenter, born 1950

Sources: the origin note and dictionary entry are quoted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); the namesakes come from Wikidata (CC0); the milestones are worked out from the SSA record.