Girls' name · since 1924

Ma

Ma has 631 recorded births since 1924 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1990 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

#10,199 of 72,339
all-time among girls
631
born since 1924
1990s
peak decade

Ma sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 631 recorded since 1924.

Social Security Administration records show Ma recorded 631 times among girls since 1924, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1924 to 2018.

  • #10,199 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 631 born since 1924
  • 1990s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ma ranks #10,199 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 631 born since 1924, peaking in the 1990s.

#10,199 of 72,339
all-time among girls
631
born since 1924
1990s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Ma's 631 recorded births place it above 85.89% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

3 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by Texas.

Ma's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Ma's SSA record in two at 1985 and the more recent half accounts for 67% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 33%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1935, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1990 peak of 31, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Ma popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1924–2018

Last recorded 2018
Peak year (1990)
31
Annual births at peak, across 95 years of records
010203040 19241953196819811989199720052018 7

Ma by decade

1990s is the heaviest window (217 births, 34% of the file).

1990s was Ma's strongest decade.

217 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.

Ma births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1990s at 217 births (34% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Ma compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ma's total volume

Ma vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 2%4%6%8%10%12% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -49, 6.8%-28, 8.6%-31, 5.2%-145, 3.2%-47, 5.1%-30, 7%-138, 4%-56, 4.3%-23, 9.8%-49, 7.1%-109, 6.3%-39, 5.5%-35, 6%-38, 7.3%-53, 4.3%Ma-95, 4.9%Ma
Ma vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Ma by state

Where Ma concentrates geographically, total births since 1924

Geographically diffuse
Top 3 states by recorded births for the name Ma
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Texas
75 11.9%
#2 California
73 11.6%
#3 Illinois
5 0.8%
Texas share of Ma's total US births 11.9%
Even split

75 of 631 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Ma?
631 babies have been named Ma since 1924. All-time, it sits at #10,199 of 72,339 girls' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 2018. The peak year was 1990 with 31 births.
Where does Ma sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ma ranks #10,199 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Ma most popular?
Ma was most popular in the 1990s decade with 217 total births. The single peak year was 1990.
Where is Ma most popular?
The top states for the name Ma are Texas (75 births), California (73 births), Illinois (5 births).
How long has the name Ma been used?
Ma has been recorded in Social Security data since 1924, spanning 95 years of data through 2018.
What names are similar to Ma?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mary, Margaret, Maria, Martha, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Ma's data

  • Ma's decade-level peak was the 1990s (217 total births); usage has since declined to 26 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Texas records the most Mas (75 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Ma

Nearby Names Like Ma

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ma

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Ma: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1924–2018 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ma draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.