Miriam

Original Hebrew form of MARY. It is used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of Moses and Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name since the Protestant Reformation.

MARY   female   English, Biblical
Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριαμ (Mariam) and Μαρια (Maria) - the spellings are interchangeable - which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".

This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the mother of Jesus. According to the gospels, Jesus was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit while she remained a virgin. This name was also borne by Mary Magdalene, a woman cured of demons by Jesus. She became one of his followers and later witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection.

Due to the Virgin Mary this name has been very popular in the Christian world, though at certain times in some cultures it has been considered too holy for everyday use. In England it has been used since the 12th century, and it has been among the most common feminine names since the 16th century. The Latinized form Maria is also used in English as well as in several other languages.

This name has been borne by two queens of England, as well as a Queen of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots. Another notable bearer was Mary Shelley (1797-1851), the author of 'Frankenstein'. A famous fictional character by this name is Mary Poppins from the children's books by P. L. Travers, first published in 1934.
EQUIVALENTS
ARABIC: Mariam, Maryam
ARMENIAN: Mariam
BASQUE: Maria, Miren
BELARUSIAN: Maryia
BIBLICAL GREEK: Maria, Mariam
BIBLICAL HEBREW: Miriam
BIBLICAL LATIN: Maria
BIBLICAL: Mary, Miriam
BRETON: Mari
BULGARIAN: Maria, Mariya
CATALAN: Maria
CORSICAN: Maria
CROATIAN: Mara, Marija
CZECH: Marie
DANISH: Mari, Maria, Marie
DUTCH: Maria, Marja, Marjo, Mirjam
ENGLISH: Maleah, Maralyn, Maree, Maria, Mariah, Marie, Marilyn, Marilynn, Marlyn, Mary, Marylyn, Maura, Merilyn, Merrilyn, Miriam, Moira, Mora
ESTONIAN: Maarja, Mari, Mirjam
FAROESE: Maria
FINNISH: Maaria, Maria, Marja, Marjaana, Marjo, Mirjam, Mirjami
FRENCH: Marie, Myriam
FRISIAN: Maria
GALICIAN: María
GEORGIAN: Mariam, Mariami, Meri
GERMAN: Maria, Marie, Miriam, Mirjam
GREEK: Maria
HAWAIIAN: Malia, Mele
HEBREW: Miriam
HISTORY: Mariamne
HUNGARIAN: Mara, Mária
ICELANDIC: María
IRISH: Máire, Maura, Moira, Moyra
ITALIAN: Maria, Marianna
LATVIAN: Marija
LITHUANIAN: Marija
MACEDONIAN: Marija
MANX: Moirrey, Voirrey
MAORI: Mere
NORWEGIAN: Mari, Maria, Marie
OCCITAN: Maria
OLD CHURCH SLAVIC: Maria
PERSIAN: Maryam
POLISH: Maria
PORTUGUESE: Maria, Mariana
ROMANIAN: Maria
RUSSIAN: Maria, Mariya, Marya
SAMI: Márjá
SCOTTISH: Màiri, Maura, Moira, Moyra
SERBIAN: Mara, Marija
SLOVAK: Mária
SLOVENE: Marija, Mirjam
SPANISH: María
SWEDISH: Mari, Maria, Marie
TURKISH: Meryem
UKRAINIAN: Maria, Mariya
UYGHUR: Meryem
WELSH: Mair, Mairwen, Mari
DIMINUTIVES AND SHORT FORMS
BASQUE: Maia
CATALAN: Mariona, Ona
CROATIAN: Maja, Mare, Marica, Marijeta, Maša, Mojca
CZECH: Madlenka, Maja, Marika, Máša
DANISH: Maiken, Maja, Majken, Marianne, Mia
DUTCH: Jet, Maaike, Manon, Marianne, Marieke, Mariëlle, Mariëtte, Marijke, Marijse, Marike, Mariska, Marita, Marjan, Meike, Mia, Mieke, Miep, Mies, Ria
ENGLISH: Mae, Mamie, Marian, Marianne, Mariel, Marinda, Marion, Maureen, Maurene, Maurine, May, Mayme, Mia, Mimi, Mo, Mollie, Molly, Moreen, Mya, Pollie, Polly, Reenie
ESTONIAN: Maarika, Mare, Marika
FINNISH: Jaana, Maarika, Maija, Mari, Marianne, Marika, Marita, Maritta, Marjatta, Marjukka, Marjut, Miia, Mirja
FRENCH: Manon, Marianne, Marielle, Mariette, Marion, Marise
FRISIAN: Maike, Mareike
GERMAN: Maike, Maja, Mareike, Marianne, Mariele, Marita, Meike, Mia, Mitzi, Ria
GREEK: Marika
HUNGARIAN: Mari, Marica, Marika, Mariska
ICELANDIC: Mæja
IRISH: Mairenn, Máirín, Mallaidh, Maureen, Maurine
ITALIAN: Mariella, Marietta, Mimi
MACEDONIAN: Maja, Mare
MEDIEVAL ENGLISH: Malle, Molle
NORWEGIAN: Maiken, Maja, Marianne, Mia
POLISH: Maja, Marika, Maryla, Marzena
PORTUGUESE: Mariazinha
RUSSIAN: Manya, Maryana, Masha
SERBIAN: Maja, Marica
SLOVAK: Maja, Marika
SLOVENE: Maja, Mare, Marica, Maša, Mojca
SPANISH (LATIN AMERICAN): Maritza
SPANISH: Marita
SWEDISH: Maja, Majken, Marianne, Mia, My
YIDDISH: Mirele
OTHER FORMS
AMERICAN (HISPANIC): Mayra
CROATIAN: Mirjana
ENGLISH: Marigold, Marion, Myra
FRENCH: Maëlys, Mailys, Maylis
MACEDONIAN: Mirjana
SCOTTISH: Mhairi
SERBIAN: Mirjana
SLOVENE: Mirjana
SPANISH (LATIN AMERICAN): Mayra