Girl · Hebrew · Christian · International
Mary
MarySay it MAIR-ee
- Meaning today
- Beloved, bitter, star of the sea
- Original meaning
- "rebelliously, by Strong's; the true etymology is debated" Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, G3137 (from H4813)
- Say it
- MAIR-ee
- Other spellings
- Maria, Mariam
Mary
Stays on your phone. A family name is never required.
Mary meaning
Mary is a Christian and international girl's name of Hebrew origin.
Meaning today
Beloved, bitter, star of the sea
Original Hebrew meaning
"rebelliously, by Strong's; the true etymology is debated"
Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, G3137 (from H4813) · entry Miryam · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
Mary is the English form of Greek Maria or Mariam, the New Testament spelling of Hebrew Miryam, the name of Moses' sister. Its origin has never been settled. Strong's Concordance links Miryam to meri, a word for bitterness and, figuratively, rebellion. The Catholic Encyclopedia of 1912 reviews some seventy proposed meanings, prefers "well-nourished", hence beautiful, and weighs an Egyptian origin from mr, "to love". It traces the familiar "star of the sea", stella maris, to a copyist's slip for Jerome's stilla maris, "drop of the sea". Name lists today usually give "beloved", "bitter" or "star of the sea". The name belongs above all to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and is borne by the boxer Mary Kom.
References: Strong's Hebrew 4813, Miryam · Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), The Name of Mary · Wikipedia, Mary Kom
Famous namesakes
- Mary, mother of Jesus
- Mary Kom, six-time world champion boxer
Popularity abroad
- #125 United States, girls 2025 (up 6 from 131 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #329 England and Wales, girls 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Mary · Maria · Mariam