Baby Names Mary Name Meaning By Wendy Wisner Wendy Wisner LinkedIn Twitter Wendy Wisner is a lactation consultant and writer covering maternal/child health, parenting, general health and wellness, and mental health. She has worked with breastfeeding parents for over a decade, and is a mom to two boys. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 19, 2022 Fact checked by Cara Lustik Fact checked by Cara Lustik LinkedIn Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter. She has more than 15 years of experience crafting stories in the branding, licensing, and entertainment industries. Learn about our editorial process Print Manuel Breva Colmeiro / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Meaning of the Name Mary How Popular Is the Name Mary? Name Variations Similar Names Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named Mary Meaning of the Name Mary The name Mary was derived from the ancient Hebrew name Miriam. Miriam was the name of Moses’ sister in the Old Testament of the Bible. This name may have come from a root meaning “beloved,” or from a word meaning “bitter” or “rebellious,” a reference to the biblical Miriam’s life as a slave in Egypt. Origin: In Latin editions of the Bible, the name Miriam (or Maryam, an Aramaic variant) was rendered as Maria. This led to the French name Marie, which in English was spelled as Mary.Gender: Mary is traditionally a feminine name. Marion, Marius, or Mario may be used as masculine equivalents.Pronunciation: MAIR-ee Although the name Mary is typically used as a girl name, it can be used any way you see fit, as sex does not have to be a part of your name selection process. How Popular Is the Name Mary? Mary was the most popular baby name for girls in America for over sixty years, from the 1880s until the year 1946. It dropped to No. 2 in the late 1940s and early 50s, as Linda took the No. 1 slot, but Mary rose to the top spot again from 1953 to 1961. The name Mary remained in the top 10 throughout the 1960s but dropped in popularity from the 1970s to the present. The latest statistics rank Mary at No. 124. Although the name Mary is typically used as a girl name, it can be used any way you see fit, as sex does not have to be a part of your name selection process. Name Variations As a name featured prominently in the Bible, Mary has an equivalent in virtually every known language: Maaria (Finnish) Maarja (Estonian) Mair (Welsh) Mari (Danish) Maria (Italian) María (Spanish) Mariam (Armenian) Marie (French) Mariya (Belarusian) Marja (Dutch) Maryam (Arabic) The various spellings of Mariah/Marya/Maryah are also derived from the same name. Similar Names The name Mary has been mashed up or combined with various other names, leading to such combos as Maryann/Maryanne (Mary + Anne), Marybeth (Mary + Beth), Marilee (Mary + Lee), Marilu/Mary-Lou (Mary + Lou), and Marilyn (Mary + Lynne). More girl names starting with M: MadeleineMadisonMaeveMargaretMarthaMeredithMiaMyla More names associated with royalty: AlexandraAnneCatherineCharlotteDianaElizabethIsabellaVictoria Suggested Sibling Names If you're looking for a name to group with Mary, try one of the following: CarolynDorothyHelenJamesJohnMichaelPatriciaThomas Famous People Named Mary There are several prominent figures named Mary from biblical times to current. Marys From the New Testament Mary, the mother of Jesus, known as the Virgin MaryMary Magdalene, an early follower of JesusMary of Clopas, who accompanied Mary Magdalene at the tomb of JesusMary of Bethany, a sister of Lazarus British Queens Queen Mary I of England , known for her efforts to re-establish the Catholic Church in EnglandMary, Queen of Scots, the mother of James I of EnglandQueen Mary II of England, daughter of James VII and II, wife of King William III Other Notable Marys Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian ScienceMary J. Blige, Grammy Award-winning singer and actressMary Higgins Clark, best-selling American authorMary Jackson, American mathematician and aerospace engineerMary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham LincolnMary Lyon, American pioneer in women's educationMary Martin, Broadway performer known for her role as “Peter Pan” in the 1954 musicalMary Pickford, Academy Award-winning film starMary Shelley, English novelist best known for her book, “Frankenstein” Mary Shepard, English artist known for illustrating the “Mary Poppins” books by P.L. TraversMary Steenburgen, Academy Award-winning actressMary Stuart Masterson, American actressMary L. Trump, psychologist and author, niece of former President Donald TrumpMary Tyler Moore, American actressMary Wells, American singerMary Wollstonecraft. English writer and philosopher More Baby Names Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names 52 Royal Baby Names How to Choose a Name for Your Baby 1 Source Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Social Security Administration. Get Ready for Baby: Popularity of a Name. By Wendy Wisner Wendy Wisner is a lactation consultant and writer covering maternal/child health, parenting, general health and wellness, and mental health. She has worked with breastfeeding parents for over a decade, and is a mom to two boys. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit