How to say it
MA · ry
ˈmɛr.i
Feminine
Mary
Beloved, or 'bitter'
What it means
English form of the Hebrew Miriam via Latin Maria. Root meanings contested: 'beloved,' 'bitter,' or 'wished-for child.' The mother of Jesus, and through her, the most-named name in Western history.
Mary is the English form of the Hebrew Miriam, arriving through Latin Maria and Old French Marie. The root is debated: 'beloved' (from an Egyptian source), 'bitter' (mar), or 'wished-for child.' Through the cult of the Virgin Mary, the name was the dominant Western feminine name for nearly a thousand years, at peaks more than 20% of US baby girls were named Mary. The 20th century saw it slide; it left the top 100 in 2009. It's still the most common feminine middle name and shows signs of a vintage-revival comeback. Molly, Polly, Mamie, and Mae all started as nicknames for Mary; each became its own name.
How to spell Mary
The standard spelling is Mary. Common variants include Maria, Marie, María, Miriam, but Mary is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #1 in 1880, currently #125 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
The historical nickname tree is unusually deep: Molly, Polly, Mamie, Mae, May, and the diminutive Mariam. Most have separated into independent names.
- Pop culture
The Virgin Mary is the unavoidable association; some families lean in, others find the name's saturation across centuries makes it feel almost generic.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- The Virgin Mary Mother of Jesus, the most-depicted woman in Western art
- Mary Shelley English novelist, Frankenstein, 1818
- Mary Cassatt American Impressionist painter, mother-and-child subjects
Spelling variants
- Maria
- Marie
- María
- Miriam
Names with the same feeling
See Mary from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Mary mean?
- English form of the Hebrew Miriam via Latin Maria. Root meanings contested: 'beloved,' 'bitter,' or 'wished-for child.' The mother of Jesus, and through her, the most-named name in Western history.
- What does Mary mean in Hebrew?
- In Hebrew, Mary means "Beloved, or 'bitter'." Mary is the English form of the Hebrew Miriam, arriving through Latin Maria and Old French Marie. The root is debated: 'beloved' (from an Egyptian source), 'bitter' (mar), or 'wished-for child.' Through the cult of the Virgin Mary, the name was the dominant Western feminine name for nearly a thousand years, at peaks more than 20% of US baby girls were named Mary. The 20th century saw it slide; it left the top 100 in 2009. It's still the most common feminine middle name and shows signs of a vintage-revival comeback. Molly, Polly, Mamie, and Mae all started as nicknames for Mary; each became its own name.
- How do you pronounce Mary?
- Mary is pronounced ˈmɛr.i. Say it as MA-ry, with the stress on the "ma" syllable.
- How do you spell Mary?
- The standard spelling is Mary. Common spelling variants include Maria, Marie, María, Miriam.
- Is Mary a boy or girl name?
- Mary is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Mary?
- Mary ranked #125 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.