Maria

The name Maria is a biblical name that is primarily associated with the mother of Jesus today. The origin and meaning of the name are not definitively clarified.

What does the name Maria mean?

The name Maria is a biblical name that is primarily associated with the mother of Jesus today. The origin and meaning of the name are not definitively clarified. It may derive from the ancient Hebrew root mra (מרא) meaning "to fatten," thus suggesting "the well-nourished," which may seem somewhat condescending today but was understood positively in earlier times. Another origin of the name lies in the Hebrew name Mirjam or its Aramaic form Maryam. From Maryam, the Greek name Mariam developed, and from that, the Latin form Maria emerged. The prophetess Mirjam was the sister of Moses in the Old Testament of the Bible. She grew up in Egypt, which makes the Egyptian name origin mry meaning "beloved" the most likely, suggesting that Maria could mean "the beloved." For a long time, however, it was assumed that the name had exclusively Hebrew origins. Maria as a derivative of Mirjam could then trace back to the ancient Hebrew mir meaning "bitter" and jam meaning "sea," resulting in "the sea myrrh" or "the sea drop." Other Hebrew interpretations include "the rebellious" or "the untamed," from the ancient Hebrew mry meaning "rebellious," and "the (gift) given by God," from the ancient Hebrew rym meaning "to give." Maria is predominantly a female first name, but it also appears as a male name in some countries. In Germany, Maria is not permitted as a male first name and thus appears only as a second or additional name. With currently nearly 60 million bearers, Maria is the most common first name in the world. It is also widely used in Germany, particularly among young people in the short form Mia. Common foreign variants of Maria include English Marilyn, Mary, and Mariah; Italian Mariella, Marietta, Marina, Marisa, and Milva; French Marie and Marion; Danish Maren; Finnish Mirja; Irish Maire; Polish Maryla; Russian Maika and Mascha; Slavic Manja and Maja.

Where does the name Maria come from?

Etymology Maria is a female and male first name of biblical and ancient Egyptian origin with meanings such as "the untamed" or "the rebellious" and others. Ancient Egyptian, Old Aramaic, Old Hebrew, Biblical.

How do you pronounce Maria?

Sound & pronunciation of Maria: The name Maria is pronounced melodically with three to four syllables. In German pronunciation, it is usually spoken as "Ma-ri-a" [maˈʁiːa], with the middle syllable containing a long "i" being stressed. The open ending gives the name breadth and softness. Maria appears timeless and sonorous - elegant, friendly, and present.

When is the name day of Maria?

Maria has a whole series of name days. The most important date is September 12 with the feast "Feast of the Holy Name of Mary." Other so-called Marian feasts are celebrated on January 1, February 11, May 13, July 2, May 31, July 16, August 5, August 15, August 22, September 8, September 15, October 7, November 21, and December 8.

Popularity

As a female first name, Maria has been well established in Germany since the late 19th century. For many decades, Maria has mostly remained in the forefront of the rankings, thus being one of the consistently visible and classic first names of the respective birth cohort for a long time. Maria was particularly prominent in Germany between the late 19th century and the mid-20th century.

Nicknames & pet names

Aria / Aria Ria / Mai / Maie / Mara / Maraya / Mare / Marea / Mareah / Mari / Mariaaaal / Mariabella / Mariachen / Mariae / Mariah / Marich / Marichen / Marie / Mariechen / Marieke / Mariella / Mariesa / Mariessa / Mariha / Marija / Marika / Marille / Marinchen / Mario / Marli / Maro / Marua / Maruschka / Marusja / Mary / Marysia / Mi / Mia / Miechen / Mika / Mimi / Mirchen / Moerchen / Märia / Ria / Rija / Rira / Smary

Similar first names

Marian

Famous people

• Ada Maria Elflein (Argentinian writer)
• Alexandra Maria Lara (actress)
• Ana Maria Garcia (American film director)
• Ana Maria Matute (Spanish writer)
• Ana Maria O'Neill (writer from America)
• Ana Maria Rodriguez (writer from America)
• Angela Maria Fonseca Spinola (Portuguese model)
• Antonio Maria Abbatini (composer from Italy)
• Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (composer, conductor & pianist)
• Carl Maria von Bocklet (pianist from Austria)
• Carmen Maria Montiel (Venezuelan model)
• Christoph Maria Herbst (actor & comedian)
• Christoph Maria Schlingensief (director)
• Erich Maria Remarque (author)
• Felix Maria de Samaniego (Spanish poet)
• Filippo Maria Galletti (painter from Italy)
• Flor de Maria Rodriguez (Uruguayan ballet dancer)
• Francesco Maria Piave (Italian film director)
• Gianluca Maria Tavarelli (Chinese film director)
• Giovanni Maria Pietro Cominetti (theater director from Italy)