Names That Mean Admire

A pretty name that may pose pronunciation problems for non-French speakers or those who've never encountered it, but it is worth the effort. Pronounced meer-AY (or closer to MEE-RAY in French), it comes from the Occitan word mirar meaning "to admire". 
 
Popular in France in the 20th century, it peaked in 1949 when it briefly entered the Top 20, however, it has been out of style in its native country since the 80s. In the US, it was given to just 13 girls in 2025, making it a rare choice.
 
International forms of the name include the Spanish Mireya and Mireia , the Italian Mirella, and the Albanian and Croatian Mirela.

Mireille

Popular name in Spain drawn from the Provencal Mireio, coined by the poet Frederic Mistral.  Very pretty and, though difficult to spell and pronounce, simpler than the French version.

Names That Mean Admire

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The names

Mireille

Mireia

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