Mariel

Mariel is a diminutive form of Maria, itself the Latin and Greek rendering of the Hebrew name Miryam, whose meaning remains debated but is often connected to roots suggesting beloved, bitter, or drop of the sea. The diminutive suffix -el, common in Spanish-speaking regions, gives the name a gentle, familiar quality, and it has been especially popular in Latin America and the Philippines. American actress Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, brought wider English-speaking attention to the name in the late twentieth century. Related forms include Mariela, Mariella, and the simpler Maria.