Mary is a girl's name of Hebrew and Biblical origin. Its meaning is not recorded in the standard references we check — we would rather tell you that plainly than guess. Its exact meaning is debated among name scholars. In 2024 it was given to 2,196 girls in the United States.
Mary at a glance
Gender
Girl name
Origin
Biblical & Christian · Greek
Meaning
Not recorded in standard references
Pronunciation
/ˈmɛəɹi/
Also spelled
Maria
About the name Mary
Mary belongs to the Biblical & Christian and Greek tradition. Its roots are documented, even though its precise meaning is not recorded in the standard references — an honest gap we prefer to a confident guess. It travels in a few spellings: Maria.
In the United States, Mary first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #1 in 1880, and in 2024 2,196 babies received the name — 4,139,160 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.
The meaning of Mary is not recorded in the standard references we check. Rather than repeat an unsourced claim, we leave it open — its Hebrew and Biblical origin is documented, but its exact meaning is not.
Is Mary a boy or girl name?
Mary is a girl name. In 2024, 2,196 babies received the name in the US.
What origin is the name Mary?
Mary comes from the Biblical & Christian and Greek tradition. It is also spelled Maria.
How popular is the name Mary?
Mary first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #1 in 1880, and 2,196 babies were given the name in 2024.
How do you pronounce Mary?
Mary is pronounced /ˈmɛəɹi/ (IPA).
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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.
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