Maryam: meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning & origin

Where it comes from

Maryam is a variant of Mariane. An origin associated with Mariane is French.

Explained through its name family

How it developed

In Indonesian usage, Maryam developed from מרים. In English usage, Maryam developed from مریم.

The story

Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1946. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Maryam is a variant of Miriam. The history of Miriam gives this family its wider story. Miriam appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.

Combines direct and name-family evidence

Maryam through the years

Babies since 1880: 13,845; 0 boys · 13,845 girls
Most popular year: 2025; 869 babies
2025: 869; #351 for girls
2021–25 vs 2016–20: +26%; Rising

Maryam in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1946–2025, per million girls born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

Where it’s given

Most at home inNew York, Michigan, Illinois

FewerMore, relative to births Not published

2025 births by state of birth. Tiles are equal-sized so small states stay visible. Highest rates: New York (139), Michigan (49), Illinois (60), Pennsylvania (60), Virginia (35).

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 869 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 351 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 25.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (139). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 19,209 as a first name in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Maryam’s family of names

In English usage, Maryam has a diminutive in MAYIM. In Indonesian usage, Maryam shares an earlier linguistic root with Maria. Maryam has a conventional equivalent in the English form Mary.

Walk Maryam’s family in the name graph

Around the world

Maryam has relatives in 9 languages.

11 related names in 9 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.

Each dot marks where a language is rooted, not where people with the name live today. Bigger dots hold more names. Dots on the border stand for languages further away. Language locations from Glottolog (CC BY 4.0); map from Natural Earth.

Nicknames & forms 8

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Spellings & scripts 4

The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.

Across languages 12

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

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People named Maryam

Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.

Similar names

If you love Maryam, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Biblical

Sibling ideas

Names that share Maryam’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Maryam

A sister for Maryam

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Maryam