| Mary | Sarah | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of debated origin | Princess |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | MAIR-ee | SAIR-uh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1921 (73,984) | 1982 (28,483) |
| In 2025 | 2,230 | 2,710 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Mary | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 12,985 | 16,944 |
| 2010s | 25,693 | 46,657 |
| 2000s | 46,337 | 124,545 |
| 1990s | 75,723 | 224,423 |
| 1980s | 95,862 | 272,637 |
| 1970s | 126,254 | 118,823 |
| 1960s | 355,240 | 43,913 |
| 1950s | 625,606 | 39,966 |
| 1940s | 640,080 | 39,977 |
| 1930s | 573,000 | 36,513 |
| 1920s | 701,755 | 46,769 |
| 1910s | 478,636 | 38,120 |
| 1900s | 161,504 | 17,342 |
| 1890s | 131,138 | 17,154 |
| 1880s | 91,668 | 14,715 |
Mary descends through Greek Maria from the Hebrew Miriam. Its original meaning is debated — proposals include “sea of bitterness,” “beloved,” and “wished-for child.” Borne by Mary the mother of Jesus, it became one of the most enduring names in the Western world.
Sarah is Hebrew for “princess” or “noblewoman.” In the Bible she is the wife of Abraham and a matriarch of Israel, renamed by God from Sarai.
Sarah is more popular than Mary today: about 2,710 US babies were given the name Sarah in 2025, compared with 2,230 named Mary.
Mary means Of debated origin (Hebrew origin), while Sarah means Princess (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Mary first appears in 1880 and Sarah in 1880, so Mary has the longer recorded history.