Mary

Mary derives from the Latin Maria, itself from the Greek Mariam or Maria, which came into Greek from the Hebrew name Miryam. The original meaning of Miryam is debated, with proposed interpretations including beloved, bitter, or drop of the sea, though none has been definitively established. The name is most closely associated with the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, making it one of the most widely used names in Christian Europe throughout the medieval period and into the modern era. Related forms include Maria, Marie, Marion, Miriam, Marilyn, and Molly.