nametree
← Martezbrowse · build a nametreeMarthe →

Martha

girl name
Origin
Aramaic
Syllables
2
Peak era
1890s
Today
▬ Steady

Torn between Martha and another name? Compare them side by side →

Meaning

lady, mistress; Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, and historically Crown Princess Märtha, celebrated for aiding Norwegian refugees during WWII

Goes by Marty, Mattie. See all nicknames

Famously borne by Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

The story

Martha is Aramaic for lady or mistress of the house, the name of the practical, hospitable sister of Mary and Lazarus in the Gospels, and it has been a workhorse of the English-speaking world ever since, worn by Martha Washington at the very founding of the republic. Royalty has loved it too: Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, exiled to America during the Second World War, became a cherished friend of the Roosevelts and a tireless voice for occupied Norway, and her granddaughter Princess Märtha Louise carries the name today. In the United States Martha was a giant for generations, among the most popular girls' names at the end of the nineteenth century and solidly common through the 1950s, before easing gradually to the steady, quieter level it has held for decades: a classic that bends with fashion but simply refuses to disappear.

More names with stories →

Martha in song

Martha My Dear
The Beatles (1968)
A brisk little piano piece named for McCartney's sheepdog, though it plays like a love song to a person and nobody minds.

How popular is Martha around the world?

In the United States, 2,421 babies were named Martha between 2020 and 2025. In Norway, 19 girls were given the name Martha in 2025.

Martha is on the official records of the United States, Norway, England and Wales, Austria, Mexico City, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, South Australia, France, Brazil, Spain, Chile and Argentina.

United States

1 in 9,000

In the United States, 2,421 babies were named Martha between 2020 and 2025.

peak 1890s2020s

Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Martha peaked in the 1890s.

Births with a Social Security record. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration

See the full list for the United States →

Norway

1 in 1,400 · register 2026

In Norway, 19 girls were given the name Martha in 2025.

peak 19512025

share of the girls on the register for that year, SSB’s own figure

People who have or have had a Norwegian ID number, emigrants left out, from Statistics Norway’s name statistics (release of January 2026): by year of birth for 1945–2020 (everyone born that year who was ever registered in Norway, including people who registered later and people who have since died) and by year of naming from 2021; only first names carried by 200 or more living people are listed, counts under 4 are withheld, and SSB merges spellings that differ only by letters outside the Norwegian alphabet. The shares are SSB’s own, of the people of that sex and year in that count; the 2025 figure counts the children named that year, and no year is a count of births. Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), table 10467 (updated 2026-01-28)

See the full list for Norway →

England and Wales

1 in 1,900

In England and Wales, 302 girls named Martha were born in 2025, the 164th most common name among girls that year.

1996peak 20152025

share of that year’s name registrations

Birth registrations in England and Wales (not the whole UK); exact spellings are counted separately, and any spelling under 3 in a year is withheld at source. Source: Office for National Statistics, baby names in England and Wales

See the full list for England and Wales →

Austria

1 in 2,400

In Austria, 32 girls named Martha were born in 2025, the 187th most common name among girls that year, spellings that differ only by special characters counted together.

1984peak 2021

share of that year’s births on record

Live births in Austria by year of birth, 1984–2025, from Statistik Austria’s first-name statistics; spellings that differ only by special characters are counted together (umlauts stay apart), every name down to a single birth is published, and the count covers babies with Austrian citizenship only until 2009, every baby from 2010, and from 2015 also births abroad to mothers living in Austria. Shares divide by Statistik Austria’s count of live births from 2010, and before that by the file’s own total for the year. Source: Statistik Austria - data.statistik.gv.at (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1, updated 2026-07-09)

See the full list for Austria →

Mexico City City

1 in 2,800

In Mexico City, there were 42 registrations of Martha in 2022.

peak 20002022

share of that year’s registrations in the city

Civil-registry acts in Mexico City by registration year. Counts are lower bounds (names under 6 in a month and borough are removed at source) and count name-instances, not people; compound names are split, so “Maria Jose” counts under each part. 2023, a partial extract through 3 Mar with no cell on record for this name, is excluded. Source: Registro Civil of Mexico City, open data portal, registered given names 2000-2023

See the full list for Mexico City →

Scotland

1 in 2,900

In Scotland, 16 girls named Martha were registered in 2024, the 230th most common name among girls that year.

1974peak 2015

share of that year’s name registrations

Births registered in Scotland; different spellings count separately but accents are merged at source, and any spelling under 3 in total is suppressed. Source: National Records of Scotland, babies' first names

See the full list for Scotland →

Ireland

1 in 4,900

In Ireland, 11 girls named Martha were born in 2025, the 352nd most common name among girls that year.

peak 19672025

share of that year’s name registrations

Exact registered spellings from Irish vital statistics; any name under 3 in a year is withheld at source, and accented spellings (fadas) are recorded reliably only from 2018. Source: Central Statistics Office (Ireland), Irish babies' names

See the full list for Ireland →

Canada

1 in 7,800

In Canada, 47 girls named Martha were born in 2024, the 608th most common name among girls that year.

1991peak 2023

share of that year’s name registrations

First given names from provincial and territorial vital statistics across Canada; any name-sex-year under 5 is excluded at source, and small Quebec counts carry a randomized adjustment made at source. Shares divide by Statistics Canada’s count of live births for the year; the 2024 count is preliminary. Source: Statistics Canada, first names at birth (table 17-10-0147-01)

See the full list for Canada →

South Australia

1 in 9,200 · 2017

In South Australia, 2 girls were registered as Martha in 2017.
The count never rose above 5 in a year, too few to chart.

Births registered in South Australia (not all of Australia) by first name and year of registration, 1944–2017, from the state’s Births, Deaths and Marriages registry, which publishes every name down to a single birth in capitals; a spelling its export repeats inside a year is counted once, and from 2018 only a top 100 is published, so the series ends at 2017. Source: Consumer and Business Services (South Australia), popular baby names

See the full list for South Australia →

France

1 in 14,000

In France, about 45 girls named Martha were born in 2025, the 848th most common name among girls that year.

peak 19162025

share of that year’s births on record

Births in France by year of birth, from INSEE’s fichier des prénoms (1900–2025; Mayotte from 2012); exact spellings count separately (Léo and Leo are different names), any spelling under 3 in a year and sex is withheld at source, every count is rounded to the nearest 5 at source, and nametree keeps the spellings that reached 20 in some year. Shares divide by INSEE’s count of births in France from 1957, and before that by the file’s own total for the year; INSEE says the file is not complete before 1946. Source: Insee, fichier des prénoms (last updated 2026-07-16)

See the full list for France →

Brazil

1 in 17,000

At the 2022 census, 11,730 people in Brazil were named Martha, ranked 1,526th, with a median age of 55.
Among people named Martha living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1960s than in any other decade.

1930speak 1960s2010s

people alive at the 2022 census, by decade of birth

The census also counted 100 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart. People alive and resident in Brazil at the 2022 census, a living-population count, not births; names under 20 are withheld at source. Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022

See the full list for Brazil →

Spain

1 in 20,000

In Spain, 2,268 residents are named Martha, the 847th most common name among women, with a mean age of 50.7 years.

Residents of Spain on 1 January 2025. Spain publishes how old a name’s living bearers are, not a birth series, so there is no year chart. Source: INE (Spain), Censo de Población anual, 1 January 2025

See the full list for Spain →

Chile

1 in 30,000

In Chile, 6 girls were registered as Martha in 2021, every accent spelling counted together.

peak 19212021

share of that year’s name registrations

First-name registrations with Chile’s civil registry by year of registration, 1920–2021, counted as spelling groups (Sofía, Sofia and Sofìa are one name, shown with its most-registered spelling); the registry withholds nothing, nametree keeps the groups that reached 5 registrations in some year, and shares divide by every registration of the year. Source: Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación (Chile) via the guaguas package, first-name registrations 1920-2021

See the full list for Chile →

Argentina

1 in 66,000

In Argentina, 10 newborns were given the name Martha in 2024.

2012peak 20172024

share of that year’s name registrations

Given-name components of births in Argentina 2012–2024; national cells are lower bounds and no sex split is published. Source: RENAPER (Argentina), Dirección Nacional de Población, given names 2012-2024

See the full list for Argentina →

Montevideo City

last on record 2010

Martha is not on the 2011 record for Montevideo, whose registry withholds nothing, so the spelling was not given there that year.

peak 19442011

share of that year’s births on record

Births in the department of Montevideo (not all of Uruguay) by first name and year of birth, 1940–2011, from the city’s civil registry, which writes names in capitals, almost always without accents; counted as spelling groups (accent and punctuation variants merged), nothing is withheld at source, and 2012 is excluded as a partial year. Source: Servicio de Registro Civil, Intendencia de Montevideo, Partidas de Registro Civil de Montevideo (Licencia de Datos Abiertos - Uruguay); 2012 dropped as partial

See the full list for Montevideo →

New Zealand

last on record 2003

Martha is not on the 2025 record for New Zealand, where names under 10 in a year are excluded at source.

peak 19002025

share of that year’s name registrations

First given names from New Zealand birth registrations, grouped by registration year; any name under 10 in a year is excluded at source. Shares divide by Stats NZ’s count of births registered to mothers living in New Zealand, under 1% below the registry’s own count. Source: Department of Internal Affairs (New Zealand), baby name popularity over time

See the full list for New Zealand →

Poland

last on record 2024

Martha is not on the 2025 record for Poland, where names given fewer than 2 times in a year are withheld at source.

2000peak 20082025

share of that year’s name registrations

First names given to children born in Poland by year of birth, 2000–2025, from the PESEL population register (Ministry of Digital Affairs); exact spellings count separately (Łukasz and Lukasz are different names), names given fewer than 5 times in a year were left off the list through 2012 and fewer than 2 times from 2013, and the register also counts children born abroad, so its yearly sums run above Poland’s live births. Shares divide by the register’s own published total for the year, never by births. Source: Ministry of Digital Affairs, PESEL register (dane.gov.pl)

See the full list for Poland →

Puerto Rico

last on record 2004

Martha is not on the 2025 record for Puerto Rico, which withholds births under 5, and 5 babies have carried the name there since 1998.
The count never rose above 5 in a year, too few to chart.

First given name only, from Social Security records of births in Puerto Rico; any name-sex-year under 5 births is withheld at source. Shares divide by the Puerto Rico Demographic Registry’s count of births on the island; the 2025 count is provisional. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, territory name file (Puerto Rico)

See the full list for Puerto Rico →

All records: the most popular baby names around the world →

When you meet Martha

Most people given the name Martha in the United States were born between 1940 and 1979. The Martha you meet today is most often in her 60s or 70s.

Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.

Names that fit alongside Martha

Eleanor Elizabeth Caroline Catherine Charlotte Kate

Keep exploring

Nicknames for Martha · Names of real princesses · Names of founders and builders

Name trails: explore connections from Martha →

The Martha deep dive

Written for you · $1.99 →

Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Martha truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Martha fits with your family’s names and surname.

Both reports, explained →

Does Martha fit YOUR family?

nametree reads your family’s names and finds the ones that belong. Free, private, no ads.

Add Martha to your family’s tree →
BROWSEAll traditions👶 Baby namesAround the worldAll names🔍 Search a nameName storiesThree-letter namesShort namesVintage revivalsGender-neutralPolishJapaneseCantoneseIrishKoreanIndianMexican American
🌐English ✓EspañolPortuguês
nametree on your phoneDownload on the App StoreGet it on Google Play