Mary is a distinctive choice, ranked #329 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Mary in their class.
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UK Rank 2025
#329
US Rank #125
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About the Name Mary
Mary is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 46 places over five years. Its high point was #118 in 1997, and it now sits at #337. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Mary is fairly common in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Mary in their class.
In the US it ranks even higher at #132, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Mary I — Mary I was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain as the wife of King Philip II from January 1556 until her death in 1558.
Mary II — Mary II was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband, King William III and II, from 1689 until her death in 1694.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Mary
Unlikely. With around 131 UK babies named Mary per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Mary in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Mary has been fairly steady, ranked #329 in 2025 against #291 in 2020. Its best recorded position was #118 in 1997.
Mary is more popular in the US (#132) than in the UK (#337). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Mary include: Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Mary, mother of Jesus. Short summaries for each appear below.
Mary appears in the US top 500 at #132 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
131
UK babies named Mary (2025)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 38 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Mary
Almost certainly the only Mary in the class
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UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Mary
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Mary, Queen of Scots, also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567.
Mary of Teck was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 6 May 1910 until 20 January 1936 as the wife of King George V.