How Many People Are Named Mary?
Official U.S. Social Security & Census demographic profile for Mary
An estimated 376,103 living people in the United States currently share the first name Mary. In total, official Social Security Administration records document 3,690,004 U.S. birth applications with this name between 1880 and 2024, ranking it #6 in all-time national frequency.
Key Demographic Statistics for Mary
Estimated living U.S. population based on actuarial cohort survival rates.
U.S. Social Security card registrations recorded from 1880 through 2024.
Official count in 2020 U.S. Census first-name frequency returns.
Weighted average age calculated from surviving historical birth cohorts.
Highest annual total: 82,605 registrations in 1921.
Registration change over the recent 2015–2024 window.
Historical Popularity & Annual Trends
The single highest historical peak for Mary occurred in 1921, with 82,605 recorded newborn registrations in that single year. Mary has maintained a stable, consistent registration trajectory across recent 2015–2024 birth cohorts.
U.S. Birth Registrations for Mary (1880–2024)
Peak Era: 1921 (~82,605 recorded births)
📊 View Selected Historical Timeline Data Table (1880–2024)
| Year | Total Births | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2011 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2012 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2013 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2014 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2015 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2016 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2017 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2018 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2019 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2020 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2021 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2022 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2023 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| 2024 | 77 | 0 | 77 |
Showing 15 most recent milestone years. Source: SSA 1880–2024.
Relative Popularity by Decade
Sex & Gender Distribution in Historical Records
Official registration data reflects that Mary is overwhelmingly used as a feminine first name (98% female births).
Distribution calculated from cumulative U.S. Social Security application records (1880–2024).
Mary in the 2020 Decennial Census
In the 2020 Decennial U.S. Census first-name tabulations, Mary appeared 2,973,600 times, ranking #370 among all first names observed in 2020 returns.
Where Is the Name Mary Most Common?
The largest concentration of living bearers is estimated in California (~47,013 individuals, accounting for 12.5% of all U.S. bearers). Estimated state-level distribution of living bearers:
| State | Estimated Living Bearers | Share of U.S. Total |
|---|---|---|
| California (CA) | ~47,013 | 12.5% |
| Texas (TX) | ~34,601 | 9.2% |
| Florida (FL) | ~25,575 | 6.8% |
| New York (NY) | ~22,942 | 6.1% |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | ~15,044 | 4% |
| Illinois (IL) | ~14,668 | 3.9% |
| Ohio (OH) | ~13,540 | 3.6% |
| Georgia (GA) | ~12,411 | 3.3% |
Actuarial Living Population & Average Age Model
Based on cohort survival models applied to 1880–2024 SSA birth registrations, an estimated 376,103 people named Mary are living today in the U.S., with an estimated average age of 75.7 years.
Methodology Note: Lifetime birth registrations do not equal the current living population. To estimate living individuals accurately, we apply mortality and survival probabilities from the CDC/NCHS Actuarial Life Tables to each single-year birth cohort from 1880 through 2024.
Estimated Average Age for Mary: 75.7 years.
Comparative Popularity Context
Ranking at #6 out of thousands of canonical names, Mary shares historical rarity tiers with enduring classics like William, John, and Elizabeth.
Data Sources, Provenance & Methodology
HowManyOfMe.co operates as a statistical data platform aggregating public records to provide factual given-name frequencies. Our calculations distinguish between observed historical registrations, decennial census enumerations, and derived demographic models:
- U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) Baby Names Dataset (1880–2024): All historical births with Social Security card applications (minimum 5 occurrences per year/sex).
- U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census: First-name frequency tabulations covering 53,615 distinct names occurring 100+ times in 2020 census returns.
- Actuarial Living Estimates: Calculated by multiplying birth cohorts from 1880 to 2024 by CDC/NCHS life table survival probabilities to estimate living population rather than lifetime cumulative births.
- State Distributions: Demographic frequency allocation proportional to state census population weights.
Names with Similar Origin (Traditional)
Discover other historical names sharing Traditional linguistic roots:
Similar Sounding & Variant Names
Explore all variants →Head-to-Head Comparisons for Mary
All comparisons →Popular Full-Name Combinations for Mary
Estimated frequency of common first-name + surname combinations:
Frequently Asked Questions About Mary
What names are similar to Mary?
Names similar to Mary include Gary, Earl, Zara, Harry, Carl. They share the starting letter "M", a comparable length, or a close phonetic match.
Is Mary a rare name?
Mary is widely used — it ranks around #6, putting it among well-known first names.
Does Mary work in the US?
Mary is well-established in US naming records according to Social Security Administration data.
Which names sound most like Mary?
The closest-sounding matches use a small edit distance from Mary. Top phonetic siblings: Gary, Earl, Zara, Harry.
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