Mara
MAH-ruh
Mara comes from the Hebrew mara, meaning “bitterness” or “strength.” In the Book of Ruth, Naomi renames herself Mara after the death of her husband and sons: “Call me not Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.”
The name also appears in multiple other traditions: in Sanskrit, Mara is the demon of illusion who tempted the Buddha; in Old Norse, mára is a spirit that causes nightmares (the root of the English word “nightmare”); in Irish mythology, Mara is
associated with the sea.
What the name Mara means
Mara peaked in the US at No. 538 in 1990 with 443 births. In 2024 it ranks No. 588 with 514 births—its highest raw count, suggesting a quiet current revival.
Actress Mara Wilson and actress Rooney Mara (born 1985) have kept the name in contemporary pop-culture awareness. The character Mara Jade in the Star Wars expanded universe also lent it a sci-fi connection.
Two syllables—MAH-rah—are direct and strong. The open vowels and the clean stop at the end give it a grounded, unfussy quality that contrasts with more elaborate modern names.
Parents drawn to Mara often appreciate its brevity, its genuine multicultural roots, and the fact that it reads as both ancient and contemporary without being fashionable in a dated way.
Related names include Marah (the alternate Hebrew spelling), Moira (Irish Gaelic cognate meaning “great”), Mira (from Latin and Sanskrit), and Tamara (which incorporates the same root).
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Mara
Mara - similar names
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