Martha Girl

Popularity: #575 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAR-tha /ˈmɑːrθə/

Origin: Hebrew; Aramaic

Meaning: Hebrew: lady; Aramaic: mistress of the house

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Martha has its roots in the Aramaic language, derived from the word "marta," which means "lady" or "mistress." This term was adopted into Greek as "Martha" and subsequently made its way into Latin, maintaining its form. The name entered the English language through the Old French "Marta" during the medieval period, reflecting the influence of Norman culture on England after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

Historically, Martha is a significant biblical figure, appearing in the New Testament as the sister of Mary and Lazarus. Her story is primarily found in the Gospel of John, particularly in the account of the resurrection of Lazarus, which is dated to the 1st century CE.

Martha is often associated with themes of service and hospitality, as she is depicted as a diligent caretaker, contrasting with her sister Mary, who is portrayed as more contemplative. This biblical association has contributed to the name's enduring presence in Christian communities.

Culturally, Martha has been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing domesticity and nurturing. The name has been used in literature and art, reinforcing its connection to themes of service and devotion.

In some contexts, diminutive forms such as "Martie" have emerged, reflecting affection and familiarity. The name's historical significance and its ties to biblical narratives have helped it maintain a lasting resonance in various cultures, particularly within Christian traditions.

Famous people named Martha

In this section, you will find notable people named Martha. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Martha who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Martha who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Martha Stewart is a television personality and businesswoman best known for The Martha Stewart Show, Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party, and her lifestyle brand.

Fictional characters named Martha

The following list of fictional characters named Martha is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Martha Jones is a fictional character from the TV series Doctor Who. She is a companion of the Tenth Doctor who plays a crucial role in several story arcs, showcasing her intelligence and bravery.

Martha is a fictional character from the comic book series DC Comics. She is the mother of the superhero Superman, known for her nurturing role and support of her son, Clark Kent.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Martha, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MarySarahRebeccaAnnaElizabethRachel

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Martha. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MabelMiriamMinaMargo

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Martha was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Martha has ranked as high as #60 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Georgia.

In the past 5 years the name Martha has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Martha is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Martha was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Martha.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 393 0 393
2024 435 0 435
2023 439 0 439
2022 405 0 405
2021 395 0 395
2020 354 0 354
2019 349 0 349
2018 349 0 349
2017 376 0 376
2016 397 0 397
2015 367 0 367
2014 383 0 383
2013 344 0 344
2012 392 0 392
2011 374 0 374
2010 412 0 412
2009 451 0 451
2008 505 0 505
2007 531 0 531
2006 583 0 583
2005 601 0 601
2004 603 0 603
2003 640 0 640
2002 718 0 718
2001 759 0 759
2000 788 0 788
1999 742 0 742
1998 779 0 779
1997 863 0 863
1996 881 0 881
1995 939 11 928
1994 962 8 954
1993 1,065 7 1,058
1992 1,156 10 1,146
1991 1,139 7 1,132
1990 1,283 16 1,267
1989 1,269 20 1,249
1988 1,154 16 1,138
1987 1,153 10 1,143
1986 1,163 10 1,153
1985 1,240 19 1,221
1984 1,226 16 1,210
1983 1,366 17 1,349
1982 1,466 17 1,449
1981 1,581 9 1,572
1980 1,569 14 1,555
1979 1,455 12 1,443
1978 1,496 10 1,486
1977 1,604 8 1,596
1976 1,606 8 1,598
1975 1,806 14 1,792
1974 1,844 10 1,834
1973 1,732 7 1,725
1972 1,907 13 1,894
1971 2,204 14 2,190
1970 2,382 14 2,368
1969 2,441 13 2,428
1968 2,592 10 2,582
1967 2,923 13 2,910
1966 3,285 15 3,270
1965 3,817 16 3,801
1964 4,463 15 4,448
1963 4,904 17 4,887
1962 5,182 23 5,159
1961 5,733 9 5,724
1960 5,849 18 5,831
1959 6,455 16 6,439
1958 6,780 30 6,750
1957 7,381 20 7,361
1956 7,733 22 7,711
1955 7,949 19 7,930
1954 8,614 18 8,596
1953 9,279 16 9,263
1952 9,716 20 9,696
1951 9,634 29 9,605
1950 9,854 15 9,839
1949 9,836 28 9,808
1948 10,033 22 10,011
1947 10,673 22 10,651
1946 9,793 34 9,759
1945 8,774 22 8,752
1944 9,363 28 9,335
1943 9,729 25 9,704
1942 9,538 25 9,513
1941 9,200 44 9,156
1940 8,740 45 8,695
1939 8,540 47 8,493
1938 8,619 41 8,578
1937 7,982 29 7,953
1936 7,432 40 7,392
1935 7,657 36 7,621
1934 7,641 37 7,604
1933 7,202 38 7,164
1932 7,614 35 7,579
1931 7,520 39 7,481
1930 7,867 35 7,832
1929 7,678 39 7,639
1928 8,289 37 8,252
1927 8,344 40 8,304
1926 8,592 36 8,556
1925 8,801 39 8,762
1924 9,359 39 9,320
1923 8,990 29 8,961
1922 9,040 19 9,021
1921 9,281 17 9,264
1920 8,728 19 8,709
1919 8,350 28 8,322
1918 8,357 16 8,341
1917 8,279 18 8,261
1916 7,630 20 7,610
1915 7,235 19 7,216
1914 5,446 14 5,432
1913 4,554 16 4,538
1912 3,918 7 3,911
1911 3,030 11 3,019
1910 2,871 13 2,858
1909 2,520 10 2,510
1908 2,332 8 2,324
1907 2,283 9 2,274
1906 2,207 8 2,199
1905 2,097 6 2,091
1904 2,019 0 2,019
1903 1,980 0 1,980
1902 2,038 8 2,030
1901 1,894 8 1,886
1900 2,446 9 2,437
1899 1,915 8 1,907
1898 2,191 7 2,184
1897 1,996 6 1,990
1896 2,031 9 2,022
1895 2,105 9 2,096
1894 1,975 7 1,968
1893 1,813 8 1,805
1892 1,915 0 1,915
1891 1,744 0 1,744
1890 1,789 5 1,784
1889 1,711 0 1,711
1888 1,780 11 1,769
1887 1,509 5 1,504
1886 1,498 7 1,491
1885 1,430 5 1,425
1884 1,443 0 1,443
1883 1,264 9 1,255
1882 1,239 10 1,229
1881 1,044 0 1,044
1880 1,040 0 1,040

Top States for Martha (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 48
13%
PA 43
11%
CA 34
9%
NY 26
7%
IN 20
5%
OH 20
5%
NC 19
5%
TN 16
4%
MI 14
4%
KY 13
3%
AL 12
3%
FL 12
3%
VA 11
3%
WI 11
3%
GA 10
3%
IL 10
3%
KS 8
2%
MO 8
2%
IA 7
2%
WA 7
2%
OR 6
2%
AZ 6
2%
OK 6
2%
CT 5
1%
UT 5
1%