UK girl's name
Marija
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly from Latin or Greek.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Marija is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Marija popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 12 births.
This profile covers 118 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 2000 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 120 living people in the UK are called Marija. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Marija ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 12 girls were registered as Marija.
- • Marija ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #424 in 2019.
- • About 120 living people in the UK are estimated to have Marija as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2013
12 births
Estimated living
120
2026
Meaning
What does Marija mean?
The name Marija is derived from the Hebrew name Miryam, which is believed to have originated from the ancient Egyptian words "mr" meaning "beloved" and "ym" meaning "sea". This name has been widely used across various cultures and religions for centuries.
In the New Testament of the Bible, Marija is the name given to the mother of Jesus Christ, and she is considered one of the most important figures in Christianity. This association has contributed significantly to the widespread use of the name among Christian communities around the world.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Marija can be found in ancient Greek texts from the 5th century BC, where it was written as "Maria". During the Roman Empire, the name was also popular and was often used by both Christians and non-Christians alike.
Throughout history, there have been numerous notable individuals who bore the name Marija. One of the earliest was Maria of Alania (c. 1150-1190), a Byzantine princess and regent who ruled over the Kingdom of Georgia during the 12th century.
Another famous Marija was Maria Theresa (1717-1780), the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last Holy Roman Empress. She is credited with implementing significant reforms and modernizing the Austrian Empire.
In the realm of science, Maria Skłodowska-Curie (1867-1934), a Polish physicist and chemist, made groundbreaking contributions to the study of radioactivity and was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
The name Marija has also been associated with artistic excellence, as exemplified by Maria Callas (1923-1977), one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century, known for her powerful and expressive performances.
Lastly, Maria Montessori (1870-1952), an Italian physician and educator, pioneered a revolutionary method of education for young children that emphasizes child-centered learning and independence, which has had a lasting impact on educational practices worldwide.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Marija over time
The chart below shows babies named Marija registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Marija, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Marija by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Marija was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4942 | 19 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3238 | 74 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3523 | 25 | 5 |
Geography
Where Marija is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Marija. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Marija ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #424 in 2019.
Across the UK
Marija in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#424 in 2019
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Marija
-
Marija Stansfield-Popović
British-Yugoslavian Author (1899-1989)
Related
Names similar to Marija
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Marija: questions and answers
How popular is the name Marija in the UK right now?
In 2024, Marija was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Marija most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 12 babies registered as Marija in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Marija?
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly from Latin or Greek.
How many people are called Marija in the UK?
A total of 118 babies have been registered as Marija across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Marija most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Marija ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #424 in 2019. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.