Given name & surname
Masa
“one who is centered”
Masa is used as a given name and a surname. One African interpretation is “one who is centered.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One African interpretation is “one who is centered.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is African.
How it developed
In Finnish usage, Masa is a diminutive of Matti.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1919. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Masa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 545
- 12 boys · 533 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 66 babies
- 2025
- 36
- #4,041 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +43%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 36 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,041 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 43.1% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Michigan had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 622 as a first name in 2020; 498 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Masa’s family of names
In Finnish usage, Masa is a diminutive of Matti. Masa has a related form in Massa. Masa has a related form in Massah.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Masa
- Masa NakayamaJapanese politician, first female cabinet minister (1891-1976)
- Masa FukudaJapanese-American songwriter, music arranger, and choir directorborn 1975
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Masa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Mariama
“a gift from God”
>99% girls
Yemaya
“an intelligent woman”
>99% girls
Ama
“born on a Saturday”
>99% girls
Afia
“born on a Friday”
>99% girls
Hada
“from the salty place”
>99% girls
Hawa
“one who is desired”
>99% girls
Aina
“child born of a complicated delivery”
>99% girls
Zira
“the pathway”
>99% girls