The name Mari is a boy's name of Aramaic origin.

Welsh Nickname Names: Iolo, Betsan and Llio

While Mari is more popularly used as a feminine name, it was borne by a 1st century saint, venerated by the Assyrian Church of the East. Also known as Mari of Edessa, Saint Maris, or Saint Mares, he was converted by Thaddeus of Edessa, a disciple of Jesus, and went on to perform miracles and carry out missionary work in Nineveh and Nisibis. 
 
His name may relate back to Mary ("beloved", "bitter"), to the Latin Maris ("sea"), or to the Aramaic Mar meaning "My lord".

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Mari

Aramaic

The name Mari peaked for boys at #6757 in 2023. Mari is occasionally used for girls in 2025.

The name Mari is a girl's name of Welsh, Japanese, Armenian origin meaning "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved; gift, mother; truth, genuine, villlage".

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Mari enjoyed some mid-century popularity as a nicknameish version of Mary, but now deserves a second look as a multicultural classic. Popular in Norway and Armenia as a variation of Marie, it is also the name of a Basque goddess and an Estonian word name.
 
As a Welsh, Breton, Swedish, Norwegian, Finish, Portuguese, Spanish, Georgian, and Armenian choice, Mari ultimately comes from the Hebrew Miriam, via Mary, Maria, Marie, or Mariam, giving it the possible meanings "drop of the sea", "bitter" and "beloved". The pronunciation of the name would vary depending on where it is used, with MA-ree used in Welsh and Spanish, mah-REE used in Swedish, MAH-ree in Finnish, and MAW-ree in Hungarian and Norwegian. 
 
From its Basque roots, Mari has mythological ties, appearing in Basque legend as a goddess of nature, fertility, and the weather. She is said to live on the slopes of Mount Anboto and cares for both the environment and for justice. In this case, the name comes either emari or amari meaning "gift" and "mother" respectively. MA-ree is the pronunciation here. 
 
The name also has its roots in Japanese, though the meaning shifts depending on what Kanji combination is used. Possibilities include "truth", "genuine logic", "real village", "long distance", and "hemp, white jasmine". MA-REE is the pronunciation in this case.
 
Additionally, Mari may also be used in Korea as a name meaning "mountaintop" or "good, greatest", while in Estonia, it is both a Mary/Marianne variant, and a word name meaning "berry"! 
 
Finally, it is also a male saint's name, borne by Mari of Edessa, venerated by the Assyrian Church. His name may relate to Mary or to the Latin Maris meaning "sea".

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The name Mari is currently ranked #1000 in U.S. births. and peaked for girls at #464 in 1954. It is currently rising in popularity. The name is most popular in MARI, MARI, and MARI. Mari is occasionally used for boys in 2025.

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