Maria

Maria is the Latin and Greek form of Miriam, a Hebrew name whose precise root is debated but is most often linked to the Hebrew elements meaning bitter or beloved, and possibly to a root meaning drop of the sea or wished-for child. It gained widespread use throughout the Christian world through the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, making it one of the most common given names in history across European and Latin American cultures. The name has generated an extraordinary range of variants and cognates, including Marie, Mary, Mária, Marija, Maryam, and Miriam itself.