Mare

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Mare

Pronounced MAIR /ˈmɛər/Medium

Meaning: Mare, used for a boy, is an uncommon and somewhat opaque name that most plausibly arose as a clipping of a longer name like Marion or from a family surname. Its origin is not firmly documented, so any reading is tentative.Low

In 30 seconds: Mare is a rare, opaque boy's name, likely a clipping of a longer name or a surname. It appeared for United States boys in the 1940s (said MAIR).

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowEnglish, American

MeaningMare, used for a boy, is an uncommon and somewhat opaque name that most plausibly arose as a clipping of a longer name like Marion or from a family surname. Its origin is not firmly documented, so any reading is tentative.

U.S. rank (1989)#7570 ↗ Rising

1989 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1969

Total births (all-time)≈ 331

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Mare appears now and then as a boy's given name in mid-century records, but its origin is genuinely unclear; the likeliest readings are a short form of a longer name such as Marion or a transferred surname. It surfaces in the 1940s and peaked around 1969, always in tiny numbers.

It was never common, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its height, so a Mare from that time would be in his fifties today. Because its source is uncertain, it is offered here honestly and with low confidence rather than a fixed meaning.

Did you know? Mare is short and unusual enough that its exact source is hard to pin down, a reminder that some old records hold names with little paper trail.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Mare — Opaque boy's name; likely clipping of Marion or surname; flagged uncertain

Variations

MairMaherMarion

Nicknames

MarReeRio

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Mare…

Marion— a longer name Mare may shorten

Maher— a like short surname-style boy's name

Blaine— a similar terse one-beat boy's name

Dane— another short vintage boy's name

Explore names like Mare

By themeuncertain rare vintage

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Mare mean?

Its origin is uncertain; it is most likely a short form of a longer name or a surname.

How do you pronounce Mare?

It's said MAIR /ˈmɛər/, one syllable.

Is Mare a boy or girl name?

Mare is used here as a boy's name.

How popular is Mare?

It has always been rare, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its high point in the late nineteen-sixties.