The name Maria is a boy's name meaning "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved".

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Although almost always feminine in the first name spot, Maria (and its French cognate Marie) are regularly used in the middle or in compound first names in Catholic cultures. Famous examples include Austrian poet Rainier Maria Rilke, Italian composer Giovanni Maria Nanino, and German fashion designer Guido Maria Kretschmer.

 
Maria ultimately derives from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam 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).

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The name Maria peaked for boys at #825 in 1982. Maria is also used for girls, ranking #74 in 2024.

The name Maria is a girl's name of Aramaic, Latin origin meaning "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved".

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As a highly popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a> in all Spanish-speaking countries, this saintly Latin variation of Mary retains a timeless beauty. Through the centuries, Maria remains one of the most widely-used <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/m">girl names starting with M</a>.
 
This widespread name understandably has produced notable namesakes in almost every field — opera's Maria Callas (born Sophia Cecelia), tennis's Sharapova, education's Montessori, ad infinitum. And she's been celebrated in song as well, from Ave Maria to the eponymous song in West Side Story to "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" in The Sound of Music.
 
While the usual English pronunciation these days is the same as it is in non-English-speaking countries — mah-REE-ah — the British used to pronounce it mah-RYE-ah, like Mariah Carey.
 
Maria ultimately derives from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam 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).

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The name Maria is currently ranked #74 in U.S. births. and peaked for girls at #30 in 1975. The name is most popular in MARIA, MARIA, and MARIA. Maria is occasionally used for boys in 2024.

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