User-created list
Alternatives to Maria
Across 7 pages
of 7
Chiara
Italian
"light, clear"
Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira. Santa Chiara, Aglicized…
Ciara
Irish
"little dark one"
Ciara is very popular in Ireland, more familiar here as the Anglicized Kiera or Keira. The uninitiated will tend to pronounce Ciara as the Italian Chiara, a form of Claire—kee-AHR-a or even…
Concepcion
Spanish
"conception"
Name given in honor of the Virgin Mary that might prove difficult for a modern Spanish-American child to pull off.
Daria
Feminine variation of Darius, Persian or Latin from Greek
"kingly or possess well"
An early Christian martyr, a bespectacled MTV cartoon heroine, and Canadian supermodel Daria Werbowy: Daria is a name that manages to feel contemporary and usable without being exactly stylish. Which…
Dolores
Spanish
"lady of sorrows"
Though it's related to the Virgin Mary, this name was once perceived as the height of sensuality, a role since taken over by nicknames Lola and Lolita. Dolores is one of the many titles given to the…
Dulce maria
Dulce Maria is a sweet and melodious feminine compound name with Latin and Spanish roots. 'Dulce' means 'sweet' or 'gentle' in Spanish, while 'Maria' is the Latin form of Mary, traditionally…
Esmaria
English invented name, combination of Esme + Maria
"beloved + drop of the sea"
We think Esmarie rolls off the tongue better.
Esperanza
Spanish
"hope, expectation"
Esperanza is a Spanish classic that's found its way onto the national popularity list in recent years. It came into the spotlight not long ago when jazz singer Esperanza Spalding "stole" the Best New…
Fabiana
Italian and Spanish feminine variation of Fabian
"bean grower"
The fashion for elaborate girly-girl names, especially those that end with -ella or -ana, has put this distinctive Latin favorite into play.
Gaia
Greek and Latin
"earth mother; rejoicing"
Floral, bright, and subtly powerful, Gaia is a name with two separate origins. In Greek mythology, it is the name of the earth goddess and the universal mother, who takes her epithet from the Ancient…
Guadalupe
Spanish from Arabic
"hidden river, valley of the wolves"
Popular Spanish name that relates to the patron saint of Mexico. It could conceivably, like Soledad and Consuelo, cross the border into multicultural territory, but the name's decline since the…
Isamar
Spanish, Conflation of Isabella and Maria
This is one elaboration of the ubiquitous Isobel that we think should be chosen more often and would work well in many languages.
Junia
Latin, Feminine variation of Junius
"born in June"
Juno is hot, June is showing signs of a comeback along with other month and day names, whereas Junia, the name of the the first century Christian referred to by the apostle Paul as an apostle (and…
Kiria
Kiria is a feminine name with multiple potential origins. In Greek, "kyria" (κυρία) means "lady" or "mistress," denoting respect and authority. It may also derive from the Russian diminutive of names…
Lourdes
Spanish, Portuguese, from French, meaning unknown
This name of the French town where a young peasant girl had a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1858 vaulted into the spotlight when Madonna chose it for her daughter, but few other families except for…
Lunaria
Latin
"moonlike"
Lunaria is a magical, moon-related option that also doubles up as a floral name. It only entered the US stats in 2020 when it was chosen for six girls, while in a more recent year, that number had…
Lupita
Spanish, “little wolf”
This lively pet name has recently been associated with Mexican-born Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o, acclaimed for her role in the 2013 film Twelve Years a Slave . The mother name Guadalupe, literally…
Luz maria
Luz Maria is a beautiful feminine compound name with Spanish and Latin origins. Luz means 'light' in Spanish, while Maria derives from the Hebrew name Miriam, traditionally associated with the mother…
Madonna
Latin
"my lady"
There's only one. Okay, two.
Maria alejandra
Maria Alejandra is a beautiful feminine compound name combining two popular Spanish names. Maria, derived from the Hebrew name Miriam, has been one of the most enduring feminine names throughout…