Miriam
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Miriam
The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament names post-Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, and Leah. Miriam is currently the Number 1 girls' name in Israel.
Miriam is the Old Testament form of the Hebrew Maryam. 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).
In the Old Testament, Miriam appears in Exodus as the older sister of Moses and Aaron, a prophetess who led the triumphal song and dance after the crossing of the Red Sea and deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians.
Miriam is an artistic character in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Marble Faun and in Henry James's The Tragic Muse, Miriam Rooth is a talented young half-Jewish actress, Miriam Leviers is a farm girl in D. H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers, and Miriam is the eponymous central character of a haunting Truman Capote short story.
One notable namesake is South African singer Miriam Makeba. More relaxed nicknames: Miri, Mira, and Mimi.
Miriam is also given to boys.
Pronounced MIR-ee-um.
As of October 2026, Miriam ranked #246 for girls in US births in 2025 and #11724 for boys in US births in 2017 SSA, peaked at #134 for girls in 1917 and #2577 for boys in 1932, Nameberry popularity #351 for girls.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · girls | Births · girls | US rank · boys | Births · boys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #304 | 1,072 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #293 | 1,106 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #290 | 1,122 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #284 | 1,151 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #300 | 1,109 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #285 | 1,165 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #268 | 1,151 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #258 | 1,193 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #262 | 1,202 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #248 | 1,246 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #251 | 1,267 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #246 | 1,262 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Miriam.
Miriam on lists
Famous Miriams
- MiriamGirl
Biblical sister of Moses
- (Ellen) Miriam HopkinsGirl
American actress
- (Zenzile) Miriam MakebaGirl
South African singer and activist
- Miriam MargolyesGirl
English,Australian actress
- Miriam StoppardGirl
English medical writer
- Miriam OremansGirl
Dutch tennis player
- Miriam Leslie (born Miriam Florence Folline)Girl
American publisher and author
- Miriam Katherine McDonaldGirl
Canadian actress
- Miriam Arlene StockleyGirl
South African,British singer
- Miriam Lau (KinGirl
yee), Hong Kong politician
- Miriam Yeung (ChinGirl
wah), Hong Kong actress and singer
- Miriam "Mira" WeinsteinGirl
mother of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein; half of the namesake for his production company Miramax
- Miriam Melanie BryantGirl
Swedish,Finnish singer,songwriter
- Miriam O'CallaghanGirl
Irish TV and radio broadcaster
- Miriam Weeks aka Belle KnoxGirl
American adult film actress and student
- Miriam BlennerhassettGirl
member of the Irish music group Anuna
Miriam in pop culture
- Miriam ForcibleGirl
a retired actress in "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman
- Miriam PatakiGirl
Helga's mother on the series "Hey Arnold!"
- Miriam PelhamGirl
character in Miriam's Well by Lois Ruby
- Miriam FisherGirl
character in "Freak" by Marcella Pixley
- Miriam MillerGirl
main character in "Miriam" by Truman Capote
- Miriam BlaylockGirl
character in 1983 film "The Hunger"
- "MiriamGirl
" Finnish film and its main character
- MiriamGirl
main character in H. Rider Haggard's, Pearl Maiden
- Miriam ReinosoGirl
main character and antagonist of the Argentinian teen series "Caídos del Mapa"
- MIRIAMGirl
English Vocaloid
- Miriam 'Miri' AmmermanGirl
protagonist in Judy Blume's novel In The Unlikely Event
- Miriam "Mim" PossibleGirl
great,great,aunt of Kim Possible on "Kim Possible"
- Miriam KentGirl
character on TV's "H2O: Just Add Water"
- Miriam BeaksGirl
a character from the Nickelodeon cartoon "Harvey Beaks"
- Miriam "Midge" MaiselGirl
character on TV's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"