Mary
Mary: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmɛə.ɹi/ · /ˈmɛːɹɪj/
Meaning and origin of Mary
- A female given name from Aramaic or Hebrew.
Etymology
From Middle English Marie, from Old French Marie, from Latin Maria, from Ancient Greek Μαρία (María), Μαριάμ (Mariám), from post-Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic מַרְיָם (Maryām), from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryām), of uncertain meaning. (See the Hebrew entry for more.) Doublet of Miriam, Marie, Maria, and Mariah.
How popular is Mary?
Since 1880, 4,141,481 girls and 15,173 boys in the U.S. have been named Mary (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #1 in 1880. Its highest rank for boys was #211 in 1897. In 2025 it ranked #125 for girls, with 2,230 babies given the name.
Names similar to Mary
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Mary FAQ
What does the name Mary mean?
A female given name from Aramaic or Hebrew. From Middle English Marie, from Old French Marie, from Latin Maria, from Ancient Greek Μαρία (María), Μαριάμ (Mariám), from post-Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic מַרְיָם (Maryām), from Biblical Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryām), of uncertain meaning. (See the Hebrew entry for more.) Doublet of Miriam, Marie, Maria, and Mariah.
What is the origin of the name Mary?
Mary is listed as a name of Aramaic or Hebrew origin.
How popular is the name Mary?
Since 1880, 4,141,481 girls and 15,173 boys in the U.S. have been named Mary (100% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #1 in 1880. Its highest rank for boys was #211 in 1897. In 2025 it ranked #125 for girls, with 2,230 babies given the name.
Is Mary a boy or girl name?
Mary is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 4,141,481 girls and 15,173 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.