Meriem

Meriem is an Arabic feminine name used predominantly across the Maghreb region of North Africa, representing a regional pronunciation and spelling of the classical Arabic Maryam. That name traces back through Aramaic and Hebrew to a form meaning variously "beloved," "drop of the sea," or "bitter," with scholars debating the precise root. It ultimately derives from the same ancient source as the biblical Miriam, the sister of Moses, and was further elevated in Islamic tradition as the name of the mother of the prophet Isa (Jesus), who has an entire chapter of the Quran named in her honor. Related forms include Maryam, Mariam, and Miriam.