Meta
A girl's name of Latin origin with 6,211 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly Facebook, Inc. (until late 2021): an American multinational technology conglomerate holding company that is the parent organization of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among other subsidiaries.
Meta is a girl's baby name of Latin origin, a short form of Margaret, from the Greek margaritēs, meaning 'pearl.' It was particularly used in Scandinavian and German-speaking countries as a familiar form of the name.
Meta was most common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among German-American and Scandinavian-American communities. In the age of technology, Meta has taken on new associations with Mark Zuckerberg's company, giving this vintage name a very 21st-century layer of meaning.
EtymologyShow more
Meta is cataloged under the Latin naming tradition. Latin-origin names have been a backbone of Western naming for centuries, carried forward through the Roman Empire, the Catholic Church, and the Romance languages.
In the U.S., Meta has been recorded as a girl's name since 1880, with 6,211 total births. Browse the Latin names hub on this site to explore the broader family.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Meta has 135+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1880.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 15 | #13389 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 60 | #11215 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 78 | #13791 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 53 | #10959 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 109 | #6819 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 164 | #4368 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 323 | #2274 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 451 | #1546 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 333 | #1527 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 391 | #1162 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 756 | #875 | ▼ |
| 1910s | 950 | #604 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 774 | #390 | ▼ |
| 1890s | 1,104 | #262 | ▲ |
| 1880s | 650 | #246 | — |
The Story of Meta
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1892, Meta is a name steeped in history. Girls named Meta are most likely born between 1882 and 1902.
How rare is Meta?
Meta has 6,211 recorded births in the U.S. — a well-established name with deep roots.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1880, peaked in the 1890s with 1,104 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Meta by the numbers
- Would fill 129 school buses
- Meeting one Meta per day would take 17 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(135 years, 1880–2021)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10 | #10068 |
| 2020 | 5 | #16710 |
| 2019 | 6 | #14977 |
| 2018 | 13 | #8452 |
| 2016 | 10 | #10603 |
| 2014 | 14 | #8357 |
| 2012 | 9 | #11922 |
| 2011 | 8 | #12981 |
| 2009 | 5 | #19246 |
| 2008 | 9 | #12271 |
| 2007 | 10 | #11373 |
| 2006 | 11 | #10390 |
| 2005 | 6 | #15794 |
| 2004 | 6 | #15427 |
| 2003 | 11 | #9488 |
| 2002 | 5 | #17220 |
| 2001 | 5 | #17052 |
| 2000 | 10 | #9653 |
| 1997 | 7 | #11660 |
| 1996 | 5 | #15031 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Meta a boy's or girl's name?
When was Meta most popular?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1880–2021