Mara | Oh Baby! Names

Home » What Does The Name Mara Mean » Mara | Oh Baby! Names

Maybe your like

Skip to content
  • Follow us On: Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Browse by Initial Letter

  • a
  • b
  • c
  • d
  • e
  • f
  • g
  • h
  • i
  • j
  • k
  • l
  • m
  • n
  • o
  • p
  • q
  • r
  • s
  • t
  • u
  • v
  • w
  • x
  • y
  • z
Mara

Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Mara

Most people don’t realize but Mara is actually a Biblical name from the Hebrew “mara” meaning “bitter”. It is the name by which Naomi calls herself after returning to Judah following the death of her husband and two sons while living in Moab. Naomi’s daughter-in-law, Ruth, accompanied her to Bethlehem and when the townspeople saw it was Naomi approaching they called out to their old neighbor: “Is this Naomi?” Naomi replies: “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” (Ruth 1:20). Naomi is the Hebrew word for “pleasant” and Mara is the Hebrew word for “bitter”. Naomi asks her fellow Israelites: “Why call me Naomi when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” We think it’s fair to say Naomi is Mara (i.e., bitter). Just a wee bit. Don’t worry, though, things pick up for Naomi later on in the Book of Ruth. She nurses Ruth’s baby Obed who would later become the grandfather of Israel’s great King David, the same ancestral line belonging to the Messiah. Still, Naomi went through some tough times after losing her husband and children; we’ll just call those her “Mara” years. It’s unclear when Mara became popularized as a female given name, but we’re guessing it was originally an act of humility. In other words, Mara might have been the “bitter” name Naomi gave to herself when she felt like God had forsaken her when in fact He never left her side. Today Mara is quite popular in Spain and the Netherlands. It is also a high ranking name in Croatia where Mara is considered a diminutive of Marija (the Croatian form of Maria/Mary). Some folks also take Mara as a short form for names like Tamara, Samara or Amara. Lastly, we might also mention that Mara is the Irish word for “sea”, the Swedish word for “nightmare”, the name of a Hindu goddess of death and a Latvian goddess of earth.

All About the Baby Name – Mara

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME MARA

Romance is the hallmark of the Six personality. They exude nurturing, loving, and caring energy. Sixes are in love with the idea of love in its idealized form - and with their magnetic personalities, they easily draw people toward them. Like the number Two personality, they seek balance and harmony in their life and the world at large. They are conscientious and service-oriented, and a champion for the underdog. These personalities naturally attract money and are usually surrounded by lovely material objects - but their human relationships are always primary. They thrive in giving back to others rather than being motivated by their own desires. This is when they achieve great things. Sixes are natural teachers, ministers and counselors.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME MARA

Even though Mara is an ancient self-prescribed name used by Naomi more than (gasp) 3,000 years ago, it didn’t show up in America until 1950. Not only has Mara only been around for a little more than 60 years, this name has never been very popular. In fact, the highest position Mara ever reached on the charts was #539 in 1990. Low-moderation is the best Mara has ever known in terms of usage. We wonder if American parents are at all aware of the name’s negative Hebrew meaning in an overall positive Biblical story? Probably not. The Biblical reference is somewhat obscure. As we’ve mentioned above, Mara is a name with multiple potential meanings so there’s no need to swallow that one “bitter” pill. Mara is a short and simple, four-letter, two-syllable pretty little name. It’s not very common and a solid alternative to the more overplayed Mia, Mary, Maya or Mira.

Quick Facts

ON MARA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

Hebrew

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

751

PRONUNCIATION:

MAHR-ah

SIMPLE MEANING:

Bitter

Characteristics

OF MARA

Humanitarian

Community-minded

Family-oriented

Loving

Affectionate

Compassionate

Sensitive

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Mara

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME MARA

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Mara

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME MARA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Mara

Popular Songs

ON MARA

Maraa song by Country Joe and the Fish

Famous People

NAMED MARA

Mara Wilson (child actress) Mara Santangelo (Italian tennis player)

Children of Famous People

NAMED MARA

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Mara

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME MARA

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Mara

SEARCH FOR BOY NAMESSEARCH FOR GIRL NAMES

Explore Our Products

  • Name Stories: The Perfect & Unique Gift for Someone You Love

Explore Our Products

  • CLICK HERE For a Special Offer

Newsletter Sign Up

Get our latest offers and news straight in your inbox

Copyright © 2025 Oh Baby Names. All Rights Reserved.

Popular Baby Name Searches

Fun Stuff

Company

CLOSE Sign In

[wpum_login_form psw_link=”yes” register_link=”yes” ]

×

Tag » What Does The Name Mara Mean