Mari

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".

Pronounced MAR-ee.

As of October 2026, Mari ranked #1620 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #464 in 1954, Nameberry popularity #797.