Maritza
Primarily a girl's name of Spanish origin with 23,093 recorded births. Also given to 79 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A female given name
Maritza is a girl's and boy's baby name of Spanish and Slavic origin. In the Spanish-speaking world it is a diminutive of Maria (Hebrew, 'beloved'). The name also appears in Slavic tradition as connected to the Maritsa River. With over a dozen U.S. births per year, Maritza gained additional pop culture exposure through the character on Orange Is the New Black.
EtymologyShow more
Though Maritza dates back to 1945 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The Spanish classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
Maritza’s 23,093 recorded births provide enough of a footprint to establish it as a real, chosen name in American culture — not a typo or a one-off, but a deliberate selection by tens of thousands of families.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Maritza was #416 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #2240, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 470 | #2062 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 2,121 | #1251 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 5,634 | #531 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 5,230 | #482 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 3,411 | #576 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 2,887 | #588 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 2,421 | #639 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 896 | #1421 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 23 | #5101 | — |
The Story of Maritza
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 2005, Maritza is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Maritza are most likely born between 1995 and 2015.
How rare is Maritza?
Only about 1 in every 42,857 babies born in 2024 was named Maritza — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1945, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2000s with 5,634 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Maritza by the numbers
- More Maritzas than the population of a small U.S. town
- Would fill 481 school buses
- Meeting one Maritza per day would take 63.3 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(79 years, 1945–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 84 | #2240 |
| 2023 | 88 | #2168 |
| 2022 | 106 | #1903 |
| 2021 | 93 | #2063 |
| 2020 | 99 | #1937 |
| 2019 | 115 | #1781 |
| 2018 | 124 | #1682 |
| 2017 | 144 | #1531 |
| 2016 | 160 | #1444 |
| 2015 | 208 | #1203 |
| 2014 | 202 | #1211 |
| 2013 | 211 | #1141 |
| 2012 | 317 | #841 |
| 2011 | 300 | #872 |
| 2010 | 340 | #804 |
| 2009 | 426 | #686 |
| 2008 | 545 | #566 |
| 2007 | 590 | #530 |
| 2006 | 615 | #496 |
| 2005 | 780 | #403 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Maritza as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Maritza has also been given to 79 boys in the U.S. since 1964.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maritza a boy's or girl's name?
When was Maritza most popular?
How popular is the name Maritza?
Can Maritza be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1945–2024