Maris

Maris as a feminine given name has two distinct origins. In Estonian it is a short form of Maria, which traces back through Latin and Greek to the Hebrew name Miryam, whose original meaning remains debated but may relate to bitterness or beloved. In English use it is occasionally derived from the Latin phrase stella maris, meaning star of the sea, an epithet traditionally associated with the Virgin Mary. The Latvian masculine form Māris is likewise a vernacular adaptation of the Latin Marius or Maria tradition, and related forms include Māra, Maria, and Mari.