Mea is a name of Latin origin, derived from the word 'magna', which means 'great'. It has been used as a given name for centuries, particularly in ancient Rome, where it was often given to daughters born into prominent families. In some cases, Mea may also be considered a short form of names like Amelia or Margaret that contain similar sounds. Today, Mea remains an uncommon but unique choice for a girl's name, perhaps most notably known through the works of British poet Thomas Hardy, who used it as the given name of one of his characters in 'The Mayor of Casterbridge'.
Here are some observations on the provided statistics:
* The name Mea experienced its lowest birth years between 1954 and 1987, with an average of about 6 births per year during this period.
* There was a significant increase in popularity from 1989 to 2003, with a peak of 73 births in 2003. This is the highest number of births recorded for this name.
* The years 2004 to 2015 saw a steady decline in popularity, dropping from 61 births in 2004 to 44 in 2016.
* From 2016 onwards, the name Mea has continued to decrease in popularity, with only 19 births recorded in 2022 and 10 in 2023.
* In total, there were 1,651 births with the name Mea from 1954 to 2023.