Marian

French medieval variation of Marie, Hebrew
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

Marian Origin and Meaning

The name Marian is a girl's name of French origin meaning "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved".

Marian's (and sister spelling Marion's) image has gone through a sea change of late, recalling less middle-aged matron and more Robin Hood's romantic Maid Marian. Some influences: the SJ Parker-M. Broderick twin daughter Marion and the glamorous French actress Marion Cotillard.

Marian was a Top 100 name from 1912 through 1934.

Marian Anderson was a great African-American contralto singer and Marion (born Marian) Ross was the mom on Happy Days. And – trivia tidbit – Marion Tweedy was the maiden name of Molly Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses.

At one time Marian was considered the female form and Marion the male – John Wayne was born Marion.

The meaning of Marie is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

# 735 in the US

Marian Rank in US Top 1000

# 951 on Nameberry

Marian Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Popularity of the name Marian

20 Names Similar to Marian

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Famous People Named Marian

  • Marian Anderson
    American contralto opera singer
  • Marian Ellina Stamp Dawkins
    English biologist; wife of humanist Richard Dawkins
  • Marian Keyes
    Irish novelist
  • Marian Rivera
    Spanish,Filipino actress and model
  • Marian Lois Shields Robinson
    mother of U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama
  • Marian Bergeron
    Miss America 1933
  • Marian McKnight
    Miss America 1957
  • Marian Ethel Mercer
    American actress and singer
  • Marian Ann Borris Javits
    American art patron
  • Marian Wright Edelman
    American rights activist
  • Marian Elizabeth (Westropp
    Dawson) Pritchard, English fashion writer and journalist
  • Marian "Marie" Billups Booth
    third daughter of Salvation Army founder William Booth

The name Marian in Pop Culture

  • Maid Marian
    love interest of Robin Hood
  • Marian Paroo aka Marian the Librarian
    a main character in "The Music Man"
  • "The Genius of Marian
    " 2013 documentary on Alzheimer's disease
  • "Marian
    " song by Sisters of Mercy

International Variations of the name Marian

  • Marien
    Dutch
  • Marianne
    French
  • Mariana
    Spanish
  • Maryam
    Greek
  • Mariann
    French
  • Marianna
    Spanish
  • Mariane
    German

The name Marian in Nameberry Blog Posts