by Stefanina Hill

Created on: December 31, 2007

ETYMOLOGY:

The female name Mary (pronounced MARE-ee ) is the English transliteration of the Greek name Maria or Mariam which is in itself the transliteration of the Hebrew Miriam.

It is widely believed that the original meaning of the name is "beloved".

Other interpretations are "rebellious", "bitter", "Strong Waters" or "Waters of Strength".

"Star of the Sea" is the Latin translation.

ORIGIN & HISTORY:

The strongest religious association with the name is the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus and the first Christian Saint. She is one of only three figures whose birthday is celebrated as a feast day in the Roman Catholic Church along with Jesus Christ and John the Baptist.

Sometimes referred to as The Blessed Virgin Mary, The Blessed Virgin or less formally as Our Lady she is believed to have conceived the son of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. The exact details surrounding this belief vary from religion to religion with the most notable divide being between the Catholic and Protestant interpretations.

During the Middle Ages Mary came to be seen as the "new Eve" who had obeyed God where Eve had not and this much improved the status of women who, having been previously regarded in a poor light due to their perceived connection with Eve were now regarded more favorably due to their connection to Mary. Her veneration inspired the naming of many places of worship, most notably in France.

Mary Magdalene, considered a saint by the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Eastern Orthodox churches, is described biblically as a disciple of Jesus who was present at the Crucifixion and who went to the tomb of Jesus along with his mother to find the tomb empty in evidence of the resurrection.

POPULARITY:

Mary ranked as the most popular name for newborn baby girl's from 1900 right up to 1959 from there it has declined through the ranks but is still within the top hundred, ranking as the 84th most popular name in 2006.

In England and Wales the variation Maria ranked 93rd in popularity in 2007.
The variation Marie is popular in France and Germany while the variation Maria is often used in Italy, Spain and Brazil.

Mary Anne and Mary Grace are popular names in the Philippines.

NAMESAKES:

"There's something about Mary", an American romantic comedy film released in 1998 directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller and Matt Dillon.

The term "Mary Sue", a phrase in fan-fiction attributed to either male or female characters who embody fan fiction clichs.

The popular nursery rhyme

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