Mariam is a baby girl’s name of Arabic, Georgian, Armenian, and Malay origin. Mariam is a variant of the names Maria and Mary. The meaning is debated among scholars, but could come from Hebrew (meaning “sea of bitterness”, “rebelliousness” and “wished for child”) or Egyptian (meaning “beloved”).
Meaning and Origin of the Name Mariam:
Mariam is a variant form of the names Maria or Mary. It is of Arabic, Georgian, Armenian, and Malay usage. The meaning of Mariam is debated and may include the Hebrew meanings of “sea of bitterness”, “rebelliousness” and “wished for child”. It may also derive from the Egyptian root “mr” which means “beloved”. The name is very popular among Arabic families.
Symbolism of the Name Mariam:
Mariam means “wished for child” and “beloved”, associating it with symbols of adoration and love such as roses and doves.
Nicknames for the Name Mariam:
There are nicknames aplenty for Mariam! This unique name can be shortened in a number of ways, especially given that it's a variant of names like Mary and Maria. Some of these options are quite unique, so take a careful look!
Style of the Name Mariam:
traditional
Gender of the Name Mariam:
Mariam is a girl's name.
Pronunciation of the Name Mariam:
MA-REE-AM (Georgian), mahr-YAHM (Armenian), MAR-yam (Arabic)
Number of Syllables in the Name Mariam:
two or three, depending on pronunciation
Emotion Evoked From the Name Mariam:
Mariam evokes feelings of hard work and compassion.
Alternative Spellings for the Name Mariam:
Miriam, Maryam, Meriem, Mirjam
Popularity of the Name Mariam:
According to the Social Security Administration, Mariam is a popular baby girl’s name. Mariam was in the top 1000 baby names list from 1906 to 1927 before disappearing for more than 60 years. It returned to the top 1000 list in 1991 and has remained strong through 2022. It peaked at #547 in 2016.
Related Names for the Name Mariam:
Great Middle Names for the Name Mariam and Their Meanings:
- Willow (the tree)
- Chloe (young green shoot)
- Eden (place of pleasure, delight)
- Grace (the virtue)
- Alice (noble)
- Ingrid (fair, Ing is beautiful)
- Ophelia (help)
- Iris (rainbow)
Famous People with the Name Mariam:
- Mariam Doumbia (Malay singe)
- Mariam Arshaki Aslamazian (Armenian painter)
- Mariam Baouardy (Syrian beatified nun)
- Mariam Aladji Boni Diallo (Beninese politician)
- Mariam Mohamed Fakhr Eddine (Egyptian actress)
Mariam in Popular Culture:
- Mariam (literature, “A thousand splendid suns” by Khaled Hosseini)
- Mariam, “The Tragedy of Mariamthe Fair Queen of Jewry” by Elizabeth Tanfield Cary)
- Mariam Futapie (video games, “Evillious Chronicles”)
- Mariam (television, “Magi”)
- Mariam (video games, “Puyo”)
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Ovsiienko Mariia/Shutterstock.com.