Mary: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “uncertain, traditionally beloved or bitter”
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Say it
- MAIR-ee · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Girls
English form of Maria, from Greek Mariam and Hebrew Miryam. The original meaning is disputed; traditional interpretations include beloved, bitter, or drop of the sea.
How popular is Mary?
Babies named Mary in 20242,196
2024 rank#132 girls
Peak year1891
Total US babies since 18804,154,332
Mary is steady now but far below its 1891 peak.
Names like Mary
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Mary questions
What does the name Mary mean?
Mary means "uncertain, traditionally beloved or bitter". It comes from Hebrew. English form of Maria, from Greek Mariam and Hebrew Miryam. The original meaning is disputed; traditional interpretations include beloved, bitter, or drop of the sea.
Is Mary a boy or girl name?
Mary is mainly a girl's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Mary?
2,196 US babies were named Mary in 2024. Its peak year was 1891.
How do you pronounce Mary?
Mary is usually pronounced MAIR-ee.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.