Miriam Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Girl Names Like Miriam

Miriam Name Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: m(eer)-ee-um
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Miriam Name Meaning

The name Miriam is thought to mean “bitter” or “rebellious,” which some may find fitting for a woman who is known for standing up against oppression. However, it can also be translated to mean “wished for child” or “beloved” which is quite the opposite.

Origins of the Name Miriam

The name Miriam has its roots in Hebrew, where it is spelled מִרְיָם (Miryam). In the Bible, Miriam is the sister of Moses and Aaron, and is known for her role in the Israelites’ escape from Egypt. She is also a prophetess, and her song of triumph is recorded in Exodus 15.

Popularity of the Name Miriam

Miriam has been a popular name throughout history, but its popularity has fluctuated over time. In the early 1900s, it was a top 100 name in the United States, but by the 1970s, it had fallen out of favor. Recently, however, it has seen a resurgence in popularity, with many parents choosing to name their daughters Miriam as a nod to their Jewish heritage.

Final Thoughts on the Name Miriam

Overall, the name Miriam is rich in history and meaning. It’s a name that has stood the test of time and has a powerful symbolism behind it. Whether you’re looking for a name with religious significance or simply love the sound of it, Miriam is definitely a name worth considering. So, if you’re looking for a name that’s both classic and unique, look no further than Miriam!

Miriam Name Popularity

How popular is the name Miriam? Here’s everything we know.

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	190	311	0.0883%
1911	164	434	0.1165%
1912	158	651	0.1291%
1913	147	780	0.1376%
1914	151	948	0.136%
1915	140	1,338	0.1473%
1916	140	1,447	0.1498%
1917	134	1,592	0.1591%
1918	137	1,692	0.1577%
1919	145	1,511	0.1443%
1920	140	1,725	0.1551%
1921	148	1,715	0.1498%
1922	151	1,619	0.1453%
1923	145	1,711	0.1528%
1924	143	1,818	0.1566%
1925	154	1,574	0.1393%
1926	155	1,485	0.135%
1927	163	1,347	0.1217%
1928	168	1,211	0.1132%
1929	186	1,032	0.0996%
1930	182	1,022	0.0978%
1931	210	819	0.083%
1932	201	865	0.0876%
1933	188	879	0.0943%
1934	218	799	0.0827%
1935	216	758	0.078%
1936	216	721	0.0748%
1937	220	725	0.0736%
1938	219	732	0.0715%
1939	230	690	0.0678%
1940	233	694	0.0653%
1941	240	688	0.0611%
1942	258	675	0.0535%
1943	268	665	0.0509%
1944	259	669	0.054%
1945	259	640	0.0525%
1946	276	666	0.0451%
1947	279	731	0.0438%
1948	291	660	0.0413%
1949	293	658	0.0409%
1950	263	809	0.0502%
1951	265	836	0.0493%
1952	266	869	0.0498%
1953	275	869	0.0491%
1954	256	1,001	0.0548%
1955	265	979	0.0532%
1956	265	1,004	0.0532%
1957	296	913	0.0474%
1958	284	953	0.0504%
1959	296	915	0.0482%
1960	281	1,019	0.0538%
1961	299	910	0.0482%
1962	291	965	0.0526%
1963	312	850	0.0474%
1964	319	824	0.0468%
1965	330	706	0.0432%
1966	346	638	0.0409%
1967	349	613	0.0404%
1968	346	608	0.0405%
1969	384	561	0.0364%
1970	367	625	0.0393%
1971	357	650	0.0433%
1972	373	532	0.0391%
1973	356	554	0.0427%
1974	365	543	0.0418%
1975	340	613	0.0477%
1976	346	576	0.0447%
1977	342	620	0.046%
1978	350	579	0.0431%
1979	317	713	0.0506%
1980	308	752	0.0514%
1981	303	761	0.0518%
1982	301	780	0.0522%
1983	313	703	0.0476%
1984	309	740	0.0497%
1985	324	702	0.0463%
1986	321	709	0.047%
1987	322	714	0.0468%
1988	339	693	0.0445%
1989	314	774	0.048%
1990	284	936	0.0565%
1991	275	971	0.0596%
1992	271	1,007	0.0631%
1993	274	982	0.063%
1994	278	978	0.0637%
1995	288	926	0.0614%
1996	290	973	0.065%
1997	307	912	0.0617%
1998	309	951	0.0635%
1999	294	1,018	0.068%
2000	279	1,133	0.0742%
2001	293	1,044	0.0693%
2002	284	1,069	0.0713%
2003	285	1,063	0.0699%
2004	275	1,166	0.0765%
2005	275	1,168	0.0764%
2006	287	1,124	0.0718%
2007	294	1,116	0.0707%
2008	301	1,064	0.0688%
2009	305	1,046	0.07%
2010	299	1,048	0.0727%
2011	326	917	0.0644%
2012	300	1,020	0.0716%
2013	285	1,067	0.0749%
2014	303	1,033	0.0709%
2015	286	1,069	0.0735%
2016	287	1,078	0.0748%
2017	279	1,107	0.0793%
2018	296	1,056	0.0769%
2019	282	1,114	0.0823%
2020	281	1,072	0.0842%
2021	342	832	0.0681%
2022	273	1,135	0.086%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Miriam

If you like Miriam, you’ll love these other names like Miriam.

What names are variants of Miriam?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Miriam.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Mariam	Star of the sea	Latin
Maryam	Drop of sea; bitterness	Hebrew
Meriam		Hebrew
Meryam		Hebrew
Mimi	A diminutive form of Miriam and, through the French, of Wilhelmina.	French
Mirham		Hebrew
Mirjam		Hebrew
Mirjana		Hebrew
Mirriam		Hebrew
Miryam		Hebrew
Mitzi		German
Mitzie	Star of the sea	Hebrew
Miyana		Hebrew
Miyanna		Hebrew

Myriam		Hebrew

What names sound like Miriam?

If you like how Miriam sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Miriam.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Mairim	Star of the sea	Irish

What names are similar to Miriam?

Find a name that’s like Miriam, but just a little bit different.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Marianne	A combined form of Mary and Anne, Anne here representing, it is believed, the mother of the Virgin Mary.	French

Lists With Miriam

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Miriam.

Siblings of Miriam

Mamas with kids named Miriam also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Gershom	Exile	Hebrew
Joshua	God is salvation	Hebrew

Share Your Thoughts

14 Comments

Linnea Mar 28 at 6:20 am

We have always wanted to have a girl named Miriam so out of my 6 girls, I had to do that. Since we are Swedish, we changed it up a bit, so it is now Mirijum. It fits well with her 5 other siblings named Kajsa, Vera, Leena, Solveig, and Greta

Reply
Miriam Jan 19 at 12:11 pm

Am Miriam and I love my Name, I always give thanks to my parents for giving me this name ,some people think the name means bitterness, and star ,I will never accept that bitterness in my life, I will be a great woman, and am lovely ? ? ? ? ?

Reply
Miriam Jan 18 at 9:15 am

My name is Miriam and I am the first daughter after 5 sons. I grew up as ‘Mimi’ in the family, and ‘Miriam’ at school. While my name was hard for others to pronounce, as they would say, ‘Mariam’, I began to doubt the uniqueness of my name. As I got older, I realized that not only is my name unique (as I have only met 4 other Miriam’s my entire life), it truly defines us in nature. Miriams are strong-willed individuals. They are natural advocates for themselves and others, especially for those they love. I thank God and my dad for naming me Miriam, as it has helped me embrace my unique qualities and appreciate how much I do stand out. As a Spanish teacher of High School students in urban areas, I make it a point for my students to seek the history of their names, and how it defines them as an individual.

Reply
- Elsa Mar 28 at 6:17 am
  
  I know 20 Miriams
  
  Reply
Addison Oct 30 at 1:45 pm

My best friend’s name is Miriam. I met her in 5th grade at a youth group for church. She went to my same school in 6th grade where I became really good friends with her. We sing for our youth group together, go to youth group on wednesdays and Sundays and we literally do everything together that our leaders have to split us up. Although she can be a little crazy, I love her for who she is and I will never meet someone like her again. They say at church that your friends define who you are. Miriam has taught me faith and to be happy. Even during the hardest times (when my uncle died), she still made me laugh. I love her and I hope that I will never lose her and we will be friends till the end and reunite in heaven together. Although most friendships won’t last, I know that this one will.

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Kristin Jul 8 at 4:09 am

We chose it for the biblical meaning and for it being classic and recognizable.

Reply
Yua Miriam Oct 30 at 2:58 pm

Growing up I wanted to be named Maria, but my mum thought the name was not too good for a child so she rejected and gave me so many other names which I rejected them too, she later gave me Miriam and I gladly accepted it because it sounds like Maria ?. After my high school I discovered the meaning of Miriam (bitterness) ? my life truly has been so full of bitter moments ? I have suffered ??? most times I feel maybe is because of my name because People always say the meaning of ones name defines her. Am scared ?? but everyday I pray to God to make my life better.
I will really appreciate if someone can reach out to me and throw more light please ?

Reply
- Billie May 12 at 2:19 am
  
  I don’t believe the meaning of ones name defines someone.
  I also believe the power of what you tell yourself matters. so if you believe bitterness defines you, you will most likely become bitter or be aware of every bitterness. If you think your definition is meaningless, then it won’t affect you. And if you tell yourself you are beautiful, smart, lovely, happy, kind – i believe you can become such. If you pray to God for wisdom, you will become wise.
  Also the name Miriam in Hebrew means ‘wished for one’ which i think is a good meaning making Miriam a beautiful name. Miriam is also the sister of the Prophet Moses in the Bible, she literally saves Moses life and helps bring him up. -Miriam is an important historical figure in my opinion.
  My sister is Miriam and she is lovely. She is not bitter at all x
  
  Reply
Miryam Sep 10 at 12:26 am

My name is spelled in Spanish-Miryam- 1st grade teacher thought it was misspelled & Put Miriam. So for 10 years it was mis pronounced, spelled wrong & I disliked my name! I went to get my Drivers permit and I saw my name & I liked it. It was an old unique name. My first job, my boss told me do you know what your name means? I said no; he said it’s Hebrew, the sea, you have a beautiful name. In the Bible Moses sister name is Miriam. I felt a glow in my heart & loved my name since then.

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Miriam Feb 12 at 5:12 pm

I grew up hating my name because it sounds like an old lady name and could not stand people who butchered such a simple name. But once i matured i embraced it and i adore my name and would not have it any other way.

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Melisa Jul 12 at 5:48 pm

Miriam is a name found in the old testament in the story of Moses. At only 7 years old, she had to be very brave and place her baby brother in the Nile River so that he would not be killed by Pharoah. Miriam in Hebrew means “drop or star of the sea” and my husband and I felt it was a beautiful name to represent our 1st home birth and our baby naturally coming through the waters of birth

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Rayah Apr 16 at 8:18 am

First prophetess in the Bible!

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Shanequa Mar 28 at 1:46 pm

I just thought the name Miriam was real cute and unique.. I got the name Miriam from out of our bible study book we were reading and I said if I was to ever have a baby girl I was going to name her Miriam?

Reply
Penina Mar 4 at 3:20 pm

When we found out we were having a daughter it was not long since the passing of my father in laws mother and we were happy to pick this name to honour her after her passing as is the custom of Ashkenazi Jews and bring happiness to my father in law. I am happy with the name and like it, Miriam was an important biblical prophetess and many great women have been named after her. I hope my daughter will be worthy of the name.

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